Fate one half
by Kilich
Summary: Ranma fell in a special spring at Jusenkyo and soon, he was summoned as a Servant by Sakura Mato. Hoping to cure his curse with the wish granting Holy Grail, he decides to help the girl that brought him to Fuyuki city to win the War.
1. Prologue

Fate ½

Disclaimer: I do not own neither Ranma ½ nor Fate\stay night. They belong solely to their creators. I'm just doing this for a bit of fun and no profit is being made.

Prologue.

The summoner, an old man dressed in red robes with intricate symbols made from golden threads, sat in his brightly lit and book filled cabinet and read an ancient manuscript that he recently bought for a hefty sum from a gang of tomb raiders. Maybe a few years ago he would've never accepted their offer or even called guards to arrest them, but it was in the past.  
Now, when he clearly felt his age and knew that he would be forgotten as soon as died, he was desperate to accomplish a deed that would make him a legend, thus making his name and knowledge widely famous and sought after.

-

The door to his cabinet opened and somebody light stepped in. Expertly finding his way through the maze of book-made columns on the floor, a short boy wearing same red robes as the mage himself, bowed and said.

"Master Xao, the map you requested was delivered. It seems to be real this time."

Glancing at the magical construct before him, one of the many artificial servants in his mansion, the old man commanded.  
"Bring it to my spell chamber. And bring the reagents that arrived a week earlier."  
The golem bowed once again and asked "It'll be done. But may I ask you when the dinner should be served?"  
"I don't have time for food! I almost completed the basis of my spell! Now do as I said!"  
"Yes, master" was the answer before the summoner became alone once more.

-

"Oh, how I wish for an apprentice or a worthy heir." sighed the old man, rubbing his tired blood-shot eyes.  
'Those fools! A mage needs only a basic knowledge of summoning or he might become an almost useless money drain as well! How dare they laugh at what I spent my whole life on and what I am about to create!'

'Soon I'll make them all eat their words. And if they try to kill me so they could hide their shame, well... I could use several more statues here.' thought the mage, returning to the scroll that described a legendary Greek monster, Medusa, who could turn anyone into a stone with as much as a glance.

-

Soon he rose from his chair and went to his spell chamber, accompanied by servants that were waiting for him outside of his room with reagents, books or food.  
Entering a large round room that had multiple niches in the walls, some occupied by bookcases but most empty, he ordered everyone to place the reagents in the right places and went to the nearest bookcase.

Inside was a scroll that held a map to all places in China that were charged with magical power and if he wanted to complete his spell without dying or sacrificing several of his fellow mages, he needed an external power source.  
Unfortunately, his prior attempts at buying that map failed because The Mage Association refused his requests and merchants that had it, were less then respectable.

He chuckled as he remembered one of them taking his female construct hostage, believing that she was his daughter.

-

Unrolling the map, his gaze almost immediately caught two marks being quite close.  
He drew an imaginary symbol on the map and smiled. They were close enough to use them for bipolar focus, instead of a single as he originally intended. That would immensely ease the strain of casting such spell.

"Bayankala mountain range? Hmm, wasn't it the place where Michael Roa Valdamjong perfected his spirit transfer ability?" Xao thought about it for a second then pushed it aside as unnecessary and returned to the map.  
"Anyway. Two settlements are mage friendly so there should be no interference from them. And it's far enough to finish the spell and recover."

Turning away from the map, the summoner inspected the magic symbol on the floor and how the reagents where placed before he ordered everyone to step into the niches behind them.

"Everything flawless." He smiled. "Now to test that part of the spell before I leave to Jusenkyo and Jusendo."

-

About a week later, Xao came to the village of the Amazons, accompanied by a dozen of constructs that carried all of the needed spell ingredients, books and his notes.  
"I greet you, Elder. I a mage and came here to study." he said when he saw a tall middle-aged woman in rich clothes.

Scanning him and his servants she asked.  
"Study what, stranger?"  
"I want to buy information about the land between Jusenkyo Valley and Jusendo Mountain. I plan on studying how to cast a powerful spell there."

The Amazon thought about his offer for several minutes before deciding that the male before her most likely wasn't allied with their enemies, but she wanted her village to gain more then money from that stranger if he was as powerful as having so many inhuman servants showed.

"I might sell you that information, but only if you take one of our warriors and explain the spell to her" She waved off mage's objection that it would take too much time and continued.  
"There is no need to teach her everything you know. Only enough to estimate how dangerous your spell would be is needed."  
The Elder signaled to one of the younger guards to come to her and said to the young warrior.  
"Lotion, go and learn from him. I'll visit you tomorrow and bring the needed information."

-

Far away, in the town the summoner left behind, several mages gathered to discuss the news.  
"You heard what Xao is up to now?" asked one of them, middle aged man with tanned skin, short black hair and dressed in the robes with images of five elements sewn on them.  
"Yes, he went on the journey. Most probably to try whatever he was preparing all these years." answered another, older mage with pale skin and short white hair, whose robes carried arcane symbols.  
"He bought a scroll about a monster from Greek legends." a young man, dressed in everyday clothes, cut in their talk and threw the said scroll on the table between mages.  
Arcane arts follower turned to him and angrily said.  
"How many times must I tell you, if you want to spy, use the knowledge you've been taught! Breaking in, like a common thief, is not fit for a mage!"  
The young man shrugged and answered. "He's a master mage. None of my items can penetrate his house defenses. Also, I learned from an acquaintance of mine, that he went to the area where setting a bipolar spell focus is possible."  
Oldest mage frowned again when the young one reminded him what people the young man usually met with, due to his magic being tied with items of power rather than power from within.  
"Do you incline that he went there to cast his spell?"  
"But the spell of such magnitude will cause a disaster if it misfires! We must stop him!" shouted his companion, slamming his palms on the table.  
Arcane mage winced from the loud sound and lifted his hand to bring silence.  
"Master elementalist, have you forgotten that summoning spells carry no destructive power unlike yours? And as much as I don't like that crazed, self-centered old man, I must admit that his spells never fail. We should depart and learn more about this, before taking any rash actions."

-

"Is he out of his mind!?" yelled the master elementalist, when they arrived to the Amazon village and learnt more than enough about the summoning that will be done in a few hours.  
"We must hurry to him." Said the arcane master and the trio almost ran outside.

-

The summoner stood at the eye shaped magic symbol he spent days to create and correct. Looking over everything from one end to the other, he called the young Amazon which now had a magic circuit within her body so she could be taught some of the basics.  
When he said it was time for her leave, she hugged the old man and ran towards the village.  
Watching her leave, he smiled knowing that at least in that village he'll be forever remembered and checking everything again, he started the incantation.

When he said the last words, lines of white glowing power shot from both poles of the focus and his solar plexus. The symbol near him glowed with power as intricate and powerful magic searched in beyond the world, each second of failure costing him dearly.  
When the arcane hook found its target, the summoner felt the very life being ripped out of him by the recoil and fell down screaming in agony.  
Even though he was spent, the spell continued to work, the white streams of power coalescing in the middle of pentagram, forming a vague humanoid shape.

Soon, the light dimmed and the figure slowly turned into a young purple haired girl, dressed into very revealing clothing and wearing a blindfold.

With thoughts that gained the weight of boulders, the mage tried to understand if the spell got the right spirit. The girl was as far from the legendary monster as he could think of. Shaking away the traitorous thoughts that he might've failed, he lifted himself on an elbow and asked.  
"Are you Medusa, the legendary monster of Greece?"

She stopped looking around with interest and, tilting her head, answered "Yes I am."  
She slowly walked to the mage and materialized a chain, with long spikes on both ends, in her hands.  
"And I think that you should explain yourself. Where am I? And why am I here?"

Panting from amount of effort his last action took, Xao answered.  
"I'm a mage skilled in summoning from The Mage Association. I brought you here, to China, so you would protect me until the spell I cast today makes me a legend amongst other mages."  
Medusa looked at him curiously and started to play with her chain, smirking.  
"A living legend? Tell me mage, what is keeping me in this world? That magic symbol or your life?"

The summoner gasped in shock and tried to crawl away, but he was too tired to move.  
"I've never asked to be brought here, you know. Now dissolve the spell so I can return to blankness I came from." said the girl, when she entered the magic symbol and turned to face the mage. "Or I'll see what happens when you die."  
The summoner driven to tears by the effort required to even lift a hand and draw a simple figure in the midair, whispered. "By the power of the command spell, I order you to obey me."

Medusa's face tensed and for a minute she fought the spell, her chain dancing in her hands as if it tried to fly towards him. Finally she succumbed to the A rank spell and spat.  
"Fine. What do you want from me?"  
"I want you to protect me from any harm at all costs." said the mage before his vision dimmed and he fell into darkness.

-

"We're too late." said the young mage, when he saw the magic symbol, the purple haired girl with blindfold and what is more important, a limp body of their wayward colleague. "He already summoned Medusa and I don't think he's breathing."  
"Are you sure?" asked others, their old eyes unable to see that far in that much detail.  
"Yes."  
Arcane mage sighed and turned to elementalist. "Can you take her out from here?"  
"Easily."

-

Medusa cursed as she saw a torrent of fireballs flying towards them. She would've happily left that accursed mage to die and forced those three to break whatever spell summoned her here, but the command spell prohibited such action.  
Seeing that she will not be able to carry him out of the danger zone on her back without at least some damage to him, she cursed again and summoned her Pegasus, whose wings stopped the orbs of fire.  
She quickly draped him over the horse's back and flew off before the second wave of fireballs arrived.

Unfortunately for her, even her steed couldn't outrun a lightning bolt that threw weakened Medusa and her master off Pegasus's back and into the springs below.

-

-

A\N:I would like to thank people at fukufics forum for their advices, it's because of them this fic is as good as it is now.


	2. Day 1

Day 1.

"Ahh, this must be it." said one of the newest Jusenkyo valley guests, a heavyset bold man in a dirty white gi and quickened his walking.

"This is legendary training ground?" snorted his companion, a young boy with black hair made in a pigtail and dressed in the similar outfit, when he saw a valley with many springs that had bamboo poles sticking out of them.

When they passed a small hut near the springs, a middle-aged man wearing Chinese army uniform ran out of it. Looking at two travelers, he started to shout.

"Please, sirs! Please go back! Very bad if fall in spring! Get cursed!"

"Curse?! There is no such thing as a curse! " said Genma in dismissive voice when he reached the springs. He put his backpack on the ground and ignoring his son's hesitation, jumped on one of the poles.

"Wait a minute, Pops. The water is not see-through…" said the boy, his habit of being careful with weird things acting up.

But seeing that his father already jumped on the nearest pole, he put down his backpack as well and jumped on one of the poles. He turned to face his old man and crackling his knuckles, he said with a smirk.

"It's time to lose old man. But don't worry. I won't beat you up, too hard."

"Feh. You are way too young to beat me, boy!" answered his father, jumping towards him.

-

After several minutes of sparring, Ranma decided to end it by throwing Genma into one of the pools and changed his attacks from pressure points to throws.

The next time they jumped towards each other, he grabbed his father's hand instead of deflecting it and using this newly created hole in Genma's defenses he kicked him into the pool below.

Landing on the nearby pole, Ranma looked at the pool his father landed in and smirked victoriously.

"Getting awfully slow, aren't you old man?"

Suddenly a tall water pillar rose from the pool, barely giving the boy enough time to jump away.

When the water subsided, he saw a panda, standing where he was seconds ago.

"What the hell?" he asked in shock, when he noticed his father's glasses and bandana on panda's head.

"I told springs have curse. Mr. Customer fall into the spring of Drowned Panda and become panda." said the Jusenkyo Guide, shaking his head in sorrow.

"But magic doesn't exist." said Ranma and took his eyes away from the panda for a second to look at the Guide. He immediately paid for it when panda leaped at him and even though Ranma tried to jump away, sent him in one of the pools with a paw swipe that looked suspiciously alike to an Anything Goes maneuver.

The Guide watched the boy fly to one of the few unnamed springs. Unnamed because all of the Guide's attempts at discovering what the curse was, failed. All of test animals he threw in, remained unchanged.

But this time was definitely a special one, because as soon as the boy fell in the spring, the water glowed for a brief moment. Soon, that glow erupted in a cloud of bright sparks that flew out of the spring and danced for a few seconds above the water surface before they disappeared.

-

Inside of the spring, Ranma felt his body start to tingle with intensity that was driving him insane.

Fortunately, a few seconds later his mind drifted away and he found himself near an unusual building. It looked like one of the temples he saw when he and his father traveled through Greece, but it was almost new instead of the ruins the visited.

'Maybe the water in these damn pools is poisoned. That would explain both that feeling and this.' he thought as he looked around and if he didn't remember that he was at the bottom of the spring, he would've sworn that he really was near a temple because neither of his feelings could find any flaws in the surroundings.

Very soon this vision faded away and he found himself in murky water again and his lungs were in a burning need for air. He planted his feet on the bottom of the spring and jumped out of the water, taking most of it with him.

-

Ranma's jump lasted a lot longer then usual, long enough for ecstasy of breathing to die down and allow logical thinking. He landed softly in a stance that other people would've called cat-like and felt his hair undone and a lot heavier than usual. He caught a strand of his hair and brought it before his eyes.

"Purple!? Why the hell my hair is purple? And why is it that lon…" He stopped when he heard his words spoken by a melodic voice that sounded nothing like his, except for a familiar note of confidence and inner strength.

"Oh, now I understand." said the Guide. "This spring turn into a girl only those it chooses."

"Girl?" asked Ranma, pulling his gaze away from his longer, slender hand and yelled at the Chinese man "I'm not a girl!"

"Mr. young customer did fell in spring. Now you turn into girl, but hot water turn back. "

-

Hearing these words, Genma, who was still sitting on top of a pole and looked at his paws in shock, unfroze and hurried to the Guide's hut.

-

When Ranma looked down, he saw a black dress with enough cleavage to prove, without a doubt, that he was a she now. She squeezed one of her breasts hard and pain that surged through her body, broke her hope that it was another dream to pieces.

"Where is he?! Where is that bastard?!" she yelled and her anger, at the man who took away the very thing he taught her to treasure most, materialized in her hands as a pair of metal spikes, with arcs that served as hand guards, that were connected to each other by a long chain.

-

"Boy, immediately change back! And take off that blindfold!" shouted Genma as he walked from the Guide's hut.

"Blindfold?" asked Ranma in irritated voice. "What are you talking about, you stupid old man? And first thing I'll do now, will be beating you up for taking me to these stupid springs!" With that she dashed towards Genma, who saw that his son was intent on delivering a lot of bodily harm to him and ran like hell.

"Get back here and take what's coming to you!" yelled Ranma and before she could think how to do that, her reflexes acted up and brought the chain in her hands to life. It shot towards its target and tied itself around Genma's legs. With a mighty pull, Ranma sent him flying backwards and smirked when he crash-landed at her feet.

"Yeah, I'm the best." Ranma said in a smug voice and with a single motion she freed her weapon.

When she looked down on Genma, she noticed that his body was limp as if she knocked him out and kicked him in the ribs.

"Come on old man, stop acting, I know the landing wasn't that hard and I'm not finished with you yet."

When her father refused to get up, she briefly thought of ways she could extract her revenge but not finding any to her liking, she sighed and turned to the Guide.

"So, hot water will cure this curse?"

"No, Mr. Customer. Hot water turn you back, but cold water change again."

-

Meanwhile, in Fuyuki city, Japan, a young girl finally finished a pentagram that, as she hoped, would summon a powerful warrior to her side. Brushing away one of the strands of her plum-colored hair, the only thing that brightened her rather shy and timid appearance, she walked out of the symbol she drew on the floor and picked up a small book.

Slowly, she started to read the incantation.

"Hear me.

If thou wouldst serve under me, my fate will be entwined with thy blade.

If thou wouldst hear these words under the laws of the grail, come.

For the river of war flows once more.

It calls to thee who followed its path.

By the memory of conflict held in this blade I abjure thee.

Let blood rain from the sky again.

Come forth, my servant!"

-

When she said the last words, the symbol before her glowed with power and strands of light rose from the ground, quickly coalescing into a glowing humanoid figure.

When the light subsided, the summoner saw a woman, in mid-twenties, with long purple hair and matching blindfold. She wore a short black dress that left her shoulders bare, shoulder length gloves that were held in place by small purple leather belts and left her palms and fingers free. Thigh high boots and a choker finished her outfit.

"Man, not another stupid dream." She said as she looked around, her blindfold obviously not blocking her sight. "Stupid old man, stupid curse."

"Ahh, excuse me. I'm Sakura Matou. Are you my Servant in the Grail War?" asked the girl, when she mastered enough strength to speak.

Seeing that her guest ignored her, she tried again and this time, the older woman muttered something before she answered.

"Servant? Ranma Saotome is nobody's servant. And what the hell is Grail War?"

Upon hearing that answer Sakura's shoulders slumped and she reached for a handkerchief, an act that that got all of the attention from other woman. In fact, she looked like she was about to panic.

Wiping away a tear she couldn't hold back, Sakura started to answer.

"Grail War is very old. In it, seven mages fight each other until only one remains and that winner is granted any wish by Grail. But in order to make a wish, mages need help from spirits of legendary heroes that protect their Masters until Grail appears."

"So, let me get this straight. You are a mage and used your magic to summon one of those Servants to protect you until you get your wish, but summoned me instead?"

"I don't really need a wish." said the girl, answering her guest's question with a nod.

When Ranma saw Sakura reach for the handkerchief again, she desperately tried to find words that'll calm the girl and suddenly a perfect plan, how to get rid both of the girl's tears and her own curse, formed in her mind.

"How about I'll protect you? I'm no legendary hero, but I'm one of the best martial artists there is. But in return I want that wish for myself."

"…"

"Oh, come on. Stop crying already." said Ranma when the other girl hugged her with tears of joy streaming freely.

'I simply don't understand girls. I said no and she cries, but when I said that I'll do it, she cries even harder!' thought the older girl trying to understand what she needed to do and decided to just stand still until the crying ended.

-

When Sakura finally released her, Ranma asked.

"So, what we do now?"

"I'm very tired from casting the spell, so I'll take a nap. And if you're tired too, I'll show you where my room is." smiled the girl.

Ranma hesitated, she was a little tired, but curse or no curse, she was a guy and the girl's sincere smile made it impossible to agree to sleep in her room. Thinking quickly, she replied with enough confidence in her voice to convince even her father.

"Nah, I'm fine. I want to train and this room looks good enough, so I'll stay here."

The other girl nodded and exited the room, leaving her guardian alone.

-

"Ah, damn. I forgot to ask for some hot water." cursed the purple haired woman as she remembered the Guide's words. Sighing at loss of opportunity to change back, she manifested her chain and started her katas.

-

It was already dark when she was finishing her last exercise.

She blocked her imaginary enemy's vertical sword slash with a chain between her hands and kicked him away with a chain around his neck. In one swift motion she crushed his throat and freed her weapon so she could throw the other end at her last foe. The spike slightly changed its course to bypass his shield and impaled him.

"Man, I'm good. I wonder when I became that good with chains though, I never even liked weapons." mused Ranma, as she retracted her chain and threw her ponytail back over her shoulder so it wouldn't tangle with her weapon.

"And I wonder why I like my hair long. It must be because that curse is playing tricks with my mind."

Dismissing her weapon she yawned and began to stretch, but instantly turned around blushing when she saw in a nearby mirror what that innocent move did to her short dress and well developed figure. 'At least I turn into a good looking one that knows martial arts' she thought and shook her head to clear out embarrassing images that appeared when she saw herself in too much detail.

'Maybe I just need some sleep, Pops always says that when I get these feelings.'

-

But the sleep brought her no relief because she dreamed about that strange temple again and this time she walked inside. She passed both the outer row of columns and the two columns that stood before the entrance. Inside she saw a big and long hall, whose walls had many images carved on them, and three thrones, masterfully crafted from stone, stood near the opposite wall.

"Where's everybody?" she asked, disliking the emptiness of the thrones for some reason and heard someone's voice through the arc in the opposite wall. She was about to walk there but suddenly, a feeling that something was terribly wrong, pulled her away from the dreamland.

Ranma woke up and leaped to her feet, trying to find what her danger sense was warning her about. When she couldn't find any outside threats, she concentrated on feeling if there was anything wrong with her body and immediately heard somebody's cry for help from a nearby room.

'Ahh, damn, that's bad. Maybe one of those mages she talked about found her while I slept.' she thought, dashing to where the cry came from.

-

When she opened the door, she heard heavy breathing and moans and soon she saw Sakura lying on her bed in torn clothing with some boy on top of her. That made her hesitate for a second but when she saw Sakura's teary face, it took only a second for Ranma's chain to wrap itself around the boy and throw him into the wall with a bone crushing force.

Seeing that he won't be moving for a while, she ran to the girl, who was trying to pull together remains of her clothing, and quickly inspected her body for damage. Not finding anything serious, she sighed in relief and decided to show the guy, who was about to regain his consciousness, that treating someone so badly would cost you at least a few broken bones.

But when she started to rise from the bed, Sakura caught her hand and refused to let her go.

"But I'm not leaving you. I just want to beat him up for what he's done with you." said Ranma trying to calm the girl.

"That's right _sister,_ control your Servant, or better give me your Command seals right now!" said the boy when he rose to his knees, trying not to move his left hand. Hearing no response, he snarled.

"Give me those seals before I told Shiro what I was doing to you at night!"

The expression in Sakura eyes briefly changed from fearful to panic, but when she looked at her guardian, it changed to anger and she released the gloved hand she was holding.

Ranma flashed a reassuring smile for the smaller girl and soon, not only he wasn't able to speak but he could barely move at all.

-

When she finished, Ranma wanted to turn but froze when she remembered that the other girl was almost naked.

"Umm… Can you put some clothes on first?" and when she heard a faint yes and rustling of clothes, she asked.

"Is this guy really your brother? Why didn't you called police or told your parents about this?!"

There was a silence for several seconds before Sakura answered with slight resentment in her voice.

"I was adopted by grandfather Zouken. He's a very cruel man and even encouraged my brother Shinji to do… things. But I couldn't tell anyone because… Shiro would hate me if he heard about it."

Ranma turned to stare at now fully clothed girl in disbelief ' I really don't understand her. She took that much crap because she's worried what some guy would think of her? There's no way I'm letting her stay with these people.'

She walked to the door and was about to exit, but heard that Sakura wasn't moving and returning, she pulled the plum haired girl out in the corridor and asked for directions until she heard an answer.

-

Soon they reached Zouken's room and when Ranma found out that it was locked, she knocked it down with a kick and entered, pulling Sakura after her.

"Hey, are you Zouken?" she asked a very old man sitting at the desk near the opposite wall.

The old man's eyes rose from the book he was reading and scanned the pair.

"A Rider class Servant. I'm glad you succeeded Sakura, but if you won't control her, I'll give your seals to Shinji."

Ranma cut him off. "Hey, watch it! I'm nobody's servant! I'm just helping her to get out of this."

She walked towards him and stopped when a faint trace of worry appeared on his face. Looking straight in his eyes, she said with a tone that usually meant that she was ready to fight seriously.

"I have an offer for you old man. You leave Sakura alone and I won't paralyze you for the rest of your life as you deserve. And don't worry about this Grail War you put her in. I am one of the best there is, so she'll win it for sure. Is that a deal?"

She saw him slowly nod and started to walk back, but stopped when she remembered a small detail she forgot to mention.

"Oh, yes. You better call an ambulance for Shinji."

-

Landing near the house that fit Sakura's description, Ranma looked at the girl in her arms that fell asleep while they roofhopped towards Shiro's house and gently shook her.

"Hey, wake up. Is this the right one?"

Sakura woke up and her eyes widened in fear when she saw something above them.

Ranma immediately jumped away, her danger sense telling that she had no time to look up.

Landing far enough to protect her fragile cargo from almost anything, she turned around and saw a woman about her age with blond hair gathered into a knot behind, leaving only two strands that framed her face and expressionless green eyes. She wore a blue dress with plate armor protecting vital areas.

"Hey, what's your problem?" yelled Ranma. "I didn't come here to fight."

"Don't take me for a fool, Rider." answered her opponent. She lifted her hands as if she held an invisible sword and charged to them with an obvious murderous intent.

-

'I _really_ need my hands to fight, but Sakura won't live a second if I put her down.' thought the purple haired woman when her ponytail lost an inch of its length, even though she was sure that she was safe from that sword slash. 'Oh, I'll just ask for some hot water and show her that I'm not a Servant like she thinks I am.'

But her words were ignored by the swordswoman who finally managed to land a hit and even though it was very shallow, deeper ones could follow any second.

Ranma was already thinking of running away when she saw a redheaded boy, probably a high school student, exiting the house they were jumping around.

"What's wrong Saber?" he asked when he noticed his Servant attacking a purple haired woman who carried a younger girl in her bloodied arms.

"Shiro, go back in the house. It's Rider and her master." answered Saber landing near him in a defensive stance.

"Gah. For the last time! I didn't come here to fight! Shiro, stop that maniacal friend of yours before she kills Sakura. And if you give me some hot water, I'll prove that I'm not a Servant."

Shiro looked closely at the girl in Rider's arms and hurried to her, not listening to Saber's warnings.

-

Inside of the house, Shiro put a kettle on a stove to boil some water as Rider asked and went back to the living room where the girls sat.

"Shiro, I still think that is wrong to help a Master and her Servant. This War can't be won by allying with enemy." said Saber, glaring daggers at aforementioned people.

"I can't do it, Saber. Sakura is my friend and Rider took all this wounds so she could bring her to me. I can't attack them." answered Shiro as he walked to get a first aid kit.

"Well, I can see why Sakura likes that guy so much. He's…" started Ranma, but stopped when Sakura blushed deeply and tugged her glove. But she misunderstood and thought that Sakura warned her not to tell anyone how she was treated at home.

"Okay. I won't say why we're going to ask Shiro if you could stay with him."

In response, the girl blushed even deeper and Saber's dagger glare evolved to swords.

"I got a medpack. Should I bandage your wounds?" asked Shiro returning with a small old bag.

"Nah. I'll do it myself. How's the kettle?" said Rider, taking the bag and putting it nearby.

"Water is ready. Should I make tea?"

"If you want, but I just need it to splash myself."

"…Okay."

-

A few minutes later, the redheaded boy returned, carrying a tray with steaming cups.

Ranma grabbed hers and as soon as she poured the water on her wounded shoulder, a cloud of steam and bright sparks surrounded her.

"Ouch!! Too hot!" yelled a voice, younger and definitely male from within the quickly dissolving cloud.

When the cloud dispersed, everybody in the room saw a raven haired boy, about Shiro's age, dressed in an old white gi and who was inspecting his reddened arm.

The reactions of other three people were surprisingly different. Shiro looked like he was struck by a lightning, Saber looked very puzzled as if she was trying to remember something she forgot a long time ago and Sakura looked uncomfortable and tried not to look at either of boys.

Looking at them, Ranma put the sleeve back and smiled apologetically "I'm Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this."

-

Finally, a cup's edge in Shiro's hand became low enough for some hot tea to spill, awakening him from his trance. Carefully putting the cup on the table and shaking his head to clear out the fog inside, he asked.

"So, that's why you told us that you're not a Servant?"

"Yeah. Earlier today, I and my father were on our training trip and we came to a legendary training ground in China. And then, because of that stupid old man, I got this curse. Now whenever I'm splashed with cold water I turn into a girl and hot water changes me back." said the raven-haired boy while he bandaged his arm.

Saber put her cup down as well and said in a cold voice.

"That's an interesting story. But Shiro, I don't think we should believe it because even in this era it would take far more than several hours to come here from China, unless you a mage. And since I can't feel a magic circuit in him, I'm inclined to believe that he is a Servant with an ability to disguise as a normal human."

"Gahh…" was the only thing Ranma could say, not believing that they thought he was a 'she' in the first place.

Frowning, he said.

"All right, so it was Sakura who brought me, in my girl form, to her house today with some spell and I agreed to protect her. But I'm not a Servant! I'm just helping her so I can get that wish and she could get out of this War alive."

Saber smiled and nodded, but Ranma suspected that she didn't believe a single word he said.

-

Shiro finished his tea and asked in a slightly confused voice, this whole Grail War situation still too eerie for him.

"So, why did you come here? Only for a cup of hot water?"

Ranma started to answer but a tug from the girl near him stopped him.

"We came to ask you if we could stay at your place, Sempai. We really want to." said Sakura, timidly but with a hidden resolve mixed with hope and after a few seconds long silence, she added.

"I would never fight against you, I promise!"

Saber saw that Shiro reached the decision, but most likely a wrong one and tried to change it.

"Shiro, you can't invite them here! Since you do not allow me to sleep in your room, I will be too late should Rider decide to kill you."

"I'm sorry Saber, but I believe her. If she wants to stay here, she can." answered Shiro in a firm voice and gathered the empty cups before he carried them to the kitchen, followed by Sakura.

-

Saber looked at his retreating back and frowned, probably because she remembered one of her less pleasant memories.

Soon she turned to Ranma and said coldly.

"My Master might be too soft, but I'm not. And I won't allow you to stand in my way to the Grail."

"Man, I really have the worst luck." sighed the boy, and as if to prove his words, the healing cream he used on his burned arm started to work, creating less then pleasant sensations along his skin.

-

When Shiro and Sakura returned, the latter was yawning. Saber's Master looked at her and asked uncertainly.

"I'm afraid my house is not big enough to give everyone a room, so will it be all right for you sleep in one room?"

Stifling another yawn, Sakura answered, looking pleadingly at Ranma.

"Of course, sempai."

Ranma just sighed, remembered the girl's teary face when he saved her from Shinji and why he agreed to help her in the first place and went to the kitchen for the cold water.


	3. Day 2

Day 2.

A few notes about changes to the canon Fate\stay night timeline.

Shiro introduces Saber to Taiga the first morning after she was couldn't come that morning because Zouken ordered her to perform the summoning ritual as soon as first night, Rin didn't drag Shiro and Saber off to Kotomine, so they never met Ilya and Berserker that night. Instead she and Archer searched for more Masters. Shiro met Kotomine in the morning.

-

When Ranma woke up, she gladly thought that her sleep was dreamless. Briefly scanning her condition, he or rather she found herself way more relaxed then she could ever feel with those stupid morning ambushes her father kept calling awareness practice.

When she looked around, she saw that Sakura already left and a delicious smell of food could be felt in the air. And even though she wasn't really hungry, she licked her lips in anticipation, something that on her current form looked like it was caused by anything but hunger. Hunger for food that is.

"Man, finally a real home-cooked meal instead of that cheap stuff Pops always buys or steals."

"It's seems it's not ready though." she sighed with disappointment and since she didn't want to distract anyone from the kitchen, she decided to wander around in search of a place to train.

-

Finally she heard the sounds of quick movements and controlled breathing that usually accompanied sparring sessions. When she entered the room, she saw Saber, in everyday clothing instead of her armored dress, doing katas with a wooden sword.

"Do you mind if I spar with you? Or you'll try to kill me again?" asked Rider, her melodic voice sounding almost sarcastic.

Saber looked at her with a guarded glare and answered.

"I promised my Master that I won't attack you until you attack us first and I'm afraid it includes any training matches."

'At least today I won't ' she added mentally and repositioned herself so she could keep the other Servant in sight while she practiced.

-

"Ah, food!" exclaimed Ranma, still in his girl form when Shiro came to call them for breakfast and turned into a blur.

"Shiro! Who is that purple haired woman?" came the cry from the the living room. It signaled that Taiga Fujimura, Shiro's English teacher and guardian, met with Rider.

Upon hearing Taiga's roar, Shiro felt his doom approach and almost turned into a blur himself.

-

"I knew I should've not agreed to let any girls to live with you. You've three of them with you now." cried Taiga, grabbing the boy by his shirt.

"B-But, Fuji-nee-e." tried to answer the boy while the Taiga shook him like a leaf.

"With Sakura living here I can prepare twice as much food you like so much. And Rider is her guardian, so you don't have to worry about her."

"Ohh, a guardian." cooed Taiga teasingly and put the boy down.

She thought about complimenting Shiro to Sakura's guardian, but she really needed to speak with her about her clothing, that blindfold and even a tattoo on her forehead! She just couldn't leave Shiro with woman with such a taste!

-

She walked closer to Rider (that name!) and asked in a rather forceful and moderately suspicious voice.

"Why do wear a blindfold? And that tattoo! Can't you wear something normal instead of that dress?!"

Rider shrugged and answered indifferently.

"I like my blindfold. It's a good protection for my eyes. The dress doesn't hinder my movements and I don't care about tattoo."

'And there's no way I'm wearing girl's clothes if I can help it.' she added as an afterthought.

"Oh." blinked the other girl when she heard that efficiency is everything attitude. If that Rider was a bodyguard and not Sakura's caretaker who came here to ensure that Shiro is good enough to be her boyfriend as she first thought, then arguing would only result in dry 'I'm just doing my job' answers.

"So, you guard Sakura's life." she half-stated, deflating.

Now it was Ranma's turn to blink.

"Yeah. I protect her. What did you think I was doing?"

Not receiving an answer, Rider turned to food and said.

"If that's everything, then it's time to eat!"

-

When they started to eat, Shiro sweatdropped when he saw Rider demolish all of her food and ask for more in less then a minute.

'Maybe they came here because Sakura couldn't get enough food to satisfy her.' he thought in a slight amazement but shook those thoughts away. Sakura would never do such a thing.

-

"Hey, quit stealing all those delicious things!" yelled Taiga at Sakura's guardian, when she targeted one of her favorite dishes and her chopsticks clicked in the thin air because Rider was first to clean it out.

Hearing that Ranma paused in her eating for a second, not wanting to look bad to people that so far were more then nice to her, even if a little thickheaded, and smiled when she got an idea.

"You want it, you fight for it. With these." She said and clicked her chopsticks in the air.

-

"Damn. What are these things are made from? Paper?" she exclaimed when Taiga won that delicious piece she wanted because her chopsticks broke again.

Thinking fast, she gave her last set to Shiro. "Here. Since you can do magic maybe you can make them stronger or something?"

He sighed and nodded. "I can reinforce them." He took them and closed his eyes, not willing to see the childish antics of both women and Saber's disapproving glare.

'Trace: on'

He imagined the item in his hand to help his concentration and felt his magic activate and flow through his that the spell completed his work, he opened his eyes and saw that Rider already had another set.

"Here." He said, giving them back. Rider gave him a surprised look when she took them, because she snatched her chopsticks back the very moment Taiga targeted another dish and wasn't expecting him to hand her more.

-

After the breakfast, rather short thanks to both Servants and Taiga's early leave, both Shiro and Sakura prepared for school and the girl asked her purple haired friend.

"Do you want to go to the school with us?"

Ranma blinked in surprise and answered.

"Nah. I don't really like school. I'll stay here to practice. And don't worry, if anything bad happens to you, I'll feel it and come to help."

-

Several classes later, Rin Tōsaka, a model student, an idol of this school and the girl who saved Shiro' life after he was almost killed by Lancer a night ago, came to him with a look that was less then pleasant.

"Emiya, did you know that Sakura is one of the Masters? Archer saw the seals on her hand while he followed you."

"Yes. But I will not kill either of them."

"How do you expect to end the War then?" asked Rin in sarcastic voice. "By allying with all of the Masters and then asking them to dismiss their Servants or just forget about the Grail?"

"I will not harm them." answered Shiro in a, rare for him, firm voice.

Rin threw up her hands in exasperation and turning around, she said.

"You're lucky that Archer can't fight other Servants yet, or I would've made you surrender Saber's Command Seal to me. Even though just killing you would be a lot easier."

-

After the school ended, Shiro went home wondering, along the way, why Ayako Mitsuzuri was absent from both school and archery dojo for several days already.

When he remembered that he left both Servants alone and that they yesterday they were ready to kill each other, he started to walk much faster.

-

But when he arrived he found out that it's going to the least of his worries for now, since all of the food in the house was eaten and Rider smiling in a mischievous way that made the boy rather uncomfortable, because such smile usually meant that he was about to be asked to do something rather hard.

"I'll go buy some more food." He sighed and turned around to walk outside, when he felt a hand on his collar.

"Sakura asked me to help you with buying food and I need you to give me directions. Now hold on!" said Ranma and jumped on the roof of the nearest house.

Almost immediately, another figure jumped after them, her armor appearing in mid-flight.

-

"We're home." said Rider when she returned, carrying a huge bag in each hand and Saber landed soon after, carrying the boy. At Sakura's suggestion, both bags and Shiro were dropped off in the kitchen, since dinner time wasn't that far away already.

-

When the night came and Sakura started to think of a way to be invited into Shiro's room for the night, an unexpected guest came.

"Emiya, it's time for patrolling the city. Maybe will find another Master tonight… Sakura, what are you doing here so late?!" exclaimed Rin Tōsaka when she entered the house and saw her sister with her Servant sitting in the living room along with Shiro and Saber. And they didn't look like they were going home anytime soon.

"Shiro allowed us to live with him. And what are _you_ doing here?" answered the plum haired girl with mixed feelings in her voice. Her sister was the last person she expected to see tonight and she wanted to ruin her night with Shiro, no less!

"Emiya, I'll really have to talk with you about that." said Rin to the boy and turned to her sister again.

"Sakura we could use Rider's help but you'll have to stay here, since you're not fit for fighting."

"No, I think it'll be better if I and Shiro went out and you stayed here, Rin. You don't have a Servant, do you?" answered the girl, hoping that she'll have some private time with Shiro after all.

"This is no time to get jealous! He allowed you to stay because he's too soft to refuse, just like he agreed yesterday that I should stay here as well."

"Silence, Shiro!" Rin interrupted the boy before he could ask, when exactly he allowed her to live in his house.

"And since my Servant is wounded and I'm a more experienced Master than you, it'll be better if you gave Rider to me." said Rin, wanting to both remove her sister from the War and possible harm and fully return to the War as a Master.

But when she saw the other girl defiantly shake her head, Rin sighed and decided that actions speak louder than words. She grabbed Shiro's hand and pulled him outside with Saber following them and soon only their fading voices could be heard.

"You don't have to treat Servants as humans. They are just spiritual beings."

"I can't do it, Rin."

"Hopeless."

-

"So…" Ranma broke the uncomfortable atmosphere created by Sakura's nervousness.

"Want me to follow them and help if they get into a fight they can't handle?"

The girl kept her silence for another minute before worry for Shiro's safety won over helping Rin.

"Yes. I won't forgive myself if Sempai gets hurt because I wasn't there to help." said the girl and stood up so her Servant could pick her up.

"Hold on!" said Rider cheerfully and started roof hopping in the direction she thought that others went.

-

"Can you see them yet?" asked the girl in Ranma arms after several minutes of high speed jumping.

"No. Maybe they turned somewhere… Oh, wait. I feel something."

After a few more jumps in a new direction, they landed near a woman in purple and green robes, whose hood was off revealing her blue hair and closed eyes.

"What happened here?" asked Ranma putting Sakura down so she could inspect the woman's wounds but found none.

"Maybe she's a Servant and her Master died and left her without any Mana?"

"What's Mana?"

"It's power that Masters provide for their Servants. It's vital for Servant's existence."

"That's good to know." sweatdropped Ranma, realizing that if it weren't for Sakura's summoning, she would've probably be dead by now.

"I can't just leave her to die in the street. Is there any way to help her?"

"I don't know. Maybe if we brought her home."

-

When they returned home, they saw that the house was still empty and put the blue haired woman on the bed in their room.

"Damn, none of the pressure points are working." cursed black and purple clad woman, trying to wake up their guest. 'Maybe the curse throws my aim off and I just can't find them'

-

A minute later, the raven-haired boy came into the room, but the pressure points still refused to work. Frowning he decided to use less gentle but almost as effective methods.

He shook her hard and then slapped. The woman slowly opened her blue eyes, that held even richer color than Ranma's sapphire ones

"Why am I here?" she asked, looking around.

"Well…" answered the boy scratching the base of his ponytail.

"We found you on the street and brought here. I couldn't just leave you here, okay?" he finished a bit harsher when he saw her faint disbelieving look.

"I sense some Mana in you, but you are no mage. How did that happened?" she asked, too tired to think of his unusual kindness.

"I do? Say, is there a way to give it to you?

"Only if your become my Master. And I, Caster class Servant, am not sure I'll refuse." faintly smiled Caster.

"So you're a Servant after all. I'll become your Master, but first there's a thing you must know about."

The boy stood up and splashed himself with cold water from the glass nearby. After a sparkling show, he changed into a… Servant!

'How is it possible? Is it her Noble Phantasm or an external spell?' she thought, and tried to feel what kind of magic did that but she was too low on Mana even for the simplest of spells.

"So, do you agree?" said Rider, using hot water to change back.

"Yes, Mistress." smiled Caster and noticed the boy wince at that.

-

Ranma's words about the trio meeting somebody too strong for them, proved to be a prophecy when a giant that looked like he was carved from stone landed in front of Saber and two Masters.

"Get back Shiro." commanded Saber walking in front of the Masters and taking her battle stance

"Good night Rin, good night onii-chan." cheerfully said the girl, that the giant was carrying in his arms, when she was put down.

"I'm Illyasviel von Einzbern." she said and smiled when she saw surprise on the Rin's face.

"I see there's no need to introduce myself any further. Now I just want to ask you Rin, before Berserker kills you all. Are you Lancer's Master? He appeared yesterday, tried to kill Berserker and even escaped!" Ilya stomped, like a child who was denied a piece of candy.

"No." answered Rin, whispering to her companions to be careful.

"Too bad. But now you'll die." said Ilya, her voice not losing its cheerfulness. "Do it, Berserker!"

The giant leaped at the trio with roar, the change from standing stone still to movement as abrupt as an explosion.

Saber jumped towards him and after deflecting his axe-club she jumped to side to avoid follow up swing and tried to slash his right shoulder, only to get backhanded away.

"Saber!"

"I'm fine, Shiro." answered the swordswoman as she dodged both the axe-club and the shockwave, that she could see because of her 'Invisible Air' training. She leaped on the nearby pole and ran along the wires towards Berserker's Master, but the giant was fast enough to save Ilya with a series of swings that Saber barely parried.

"Kill her Berserker! Now!"

The giant roared in fury again and charged his enemy. Saber charged as well, knowing now how she could land a hit. Both warriors met and departed, Saber's sword drawing a cloud of sparks from the giant's skin while the axe-club drew a cloud of blood.

"Saber!! Run!" yelled Shiro when he saw Saber fall to the ground, Rin put a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from running to his Servant.

"Nobody can withstand power of the strongest hero of Greece." smiled Ilya, although her smile carried no warmth.

"You mean? Could it be…?' asked Rin, her grip on Shiro's shoulder weakened because of the shock.

"Yes. His name is Hercules, the strongest of Servants. Finish her now, Berserker!" said Ilya and the giant swing his weapon at Saber.

'Saber! I… I won't let you die!' thought Shiro, and his Holy Mark briefly flared to life, giving him enough speed to shove Saber out the way. But he was too late to dodge himself and the axe-club crushed his arm and ribs, creating a fountain of blood.

"Shiro!" cried both Saber and Rin while Ilya just stared at his crushed body in astonishment.

"Why?" suddenly her expression changed to the irritation and she said.

"This is boring. I'll kill you next time Rin. Come, Berserker!"

-

Soon Ilya disappeared in the night leaving Tōsaka with a task to carry the boy to his home, since Saber barely could walk herself.

"Of all the stupid things to do, Emiya." she sighed, her clothes immediately becoming soaked with blood when she picked up the boy.


	4. Day 3

Day 3

Caster lay quietly, feeling the Mana provided to her by that boy, or perhaps the most unusual Servant she ever met, slow coming to an end and remembered the events of that night, when in just a few hours she met with more kindness and caring than in days following her summoning.

She decided that prolonging her existence here was unneeded and she better leave before anything taints these wonderful memories.

-

She rose from her bed and carefully walked to, as others called him, Rider. Making sure that she won't wake him up, she lightly kissed him on a cheek and left to the other boy, which had an unusual talent as well.

-

"Wake up Shiro." she asked quietly, almost instantly waking the boy up.

"Caster, what happened?"

She gathered what Mana she had left and summoned her Rule Breaker, a dagger with a jagged blade.

"Here, hold this. It's my reward to you and your friends for taking care of me. It's my Rule Breaker, use it to destroy spells. Even a contract between Master and Servant can be destroyed with it. And with your talent you can summon it whenever you want. "

Caster smiled and her body started to turn into a maelstrom of lights.

"Caster, wait!" almost yelled Shiro, but she was already gone.

He looked at her present and saw that it was fading from his hand as well.

"I can summon it with my talent? I wonder what she meant by that."

-

This morning Ranma woke pretty late. Looking around he…

'That's unusually pleasant' he thought seeing that he indeed was male. He yawned and rose from his bed, noting that neither Caster, nor Sakura were here.

"Where the hell is she? She was too weak to even sit up yesterday." he grumbled and walked outside, irritated that he felt that he needed to remember something important, but couldn't understand what exactly.

-

"Hello, Shiro." he said, when he saw the boy walk from the training hall, looking rather tired.

"Good day, Rider… I mean Ranma."

"So, I got an idea how to make you good enough to fight alongside Saber without getting almost killed again."

Shiro turned to the other boy and a shadow of doom appeared in his eyes.

"I'll train you in martial arts. With me you'll be only half bad in a week."

The redheaded boy turned away with all the slowness of condemned and started to limp towards the kitchen, asking himself what he did to deserve what was happening in his house for past few days. Finally, he answered.

"I'll do it as soon as bruises I got from Saber's training heal up. Also Rin has something important to say to you. "

-

"Rin?" asked Ranma, knocking on her door.

"Come in, Rider."

Sighing when he heard Rider again, instead of his name, the boy entered the room.

"So, why did you call me? And where's Caster?"

Rin turned her eyes from the book she was reading, to the newcomer.

"Apparently your Mana wasn't enough to keep her here. She said she was thankful for treating her so well, gave Shiro a present and disappeared."

"But that's not why I called you. I figured who can be a Master, and since Archer needs another day to recover, I wanted you to go with us, despite what Sakura might say, in case Saber won't be able to handle her Servant."

"What about that Berserker guy?"

"We'll deal with him when Archer fully recovers. Heracles shouldn't be underestimated."

"Whatever you say. I'll go with you tonight. And I doubt that Sakura will ask me to stay, after what happened to her when you came back." said the boy as he remembered that Sakura stopped crying and blaming herself for Shiro's wounds only when he, following Rin's advice, carried her to their room and tapped a pressure point that put her to sleep.

-

When he walked out of the room, he, finally, understood what nagged him since he woke up today.

'She must've kissed me when she was leaving. Damn, why couldn't she stay?" he thought, touching his cheek and refreshing the feeling his body recorded even though Caster tried not to leave a trace.

'Man, my guy side seems worthless in this War. It's nowhere near the speed, strength or endurance of my girl side. ' he thought with a sour expression on his face.

'Not to mention that I'm sure Pops would've killed if it got him at least one of Rider's techniques.'

Deciding to end this unpleasant chain of thought he went to do what always cheered him a lot of well prepared food. But first he had to change unless he wanted to explain to Taiga who the hell was he, something he would rather not do if he had a choice.

-

"Shiro, I'll go see Kotomine. Maybe he'll give us some clues about other masters." said Rin when the breakfast was finished.

"Wait, I'll go with you." said Shiro walking out of the kitchen where he washed dishes, but before he could leave he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"What do you want, Rider?" he asked, without turning around, knowing that only she had this deceivingly soft grip.

His question was answered by Sakura, who walked out in the kitchen where she was helping him.

"Umm, sempai. I'm sorry, but I really want to cook something special for you today and we don't have enough products. And because I'll need to cook for everybody, I thought that I'd better start cooking early." Her voice was usually shy and timid at the beginning but speeded up and gained color towards the end.

Shiro sighed and said with some measure of hope.

"I'll go, but can you tell Rider to carry me gentler this ti…me!"

Air was forced out of his lungs when purple haired Servant grabbed him across the body with one hand and leaped through the door, that was left open by Rin, outside and then up.

-

When they returned, Rider dropped off the bags with food along with Shiro at the kitchen and walked to fridge, thinking about a light snack before the main course when Sakura turned to her and said.  
"Ah, Rider, can you…" the girl hesitated, willing to both be left alone with Shiro and don't hurt her Servant's feelings.  
Rider, who was filling a dish with food, turned to her, puzzled, but hearing no answer she shrugged and said before she walked out.  
"I'll better be training then cooking, Shiro is much better at this anyway."  
"Of course, Rider." smiled her Master and started to unpack bags with food.

-

While she emptied the bags, taking much longer then needed, she glanced at Shiro, who already started to cook. She watched as his muscles moved under his shirt and his precise movements and a need to be as close to him as possible that gradually grew in her over the days she lived in his house, became impossible to resist.  
'Sempai, you are always so kind and caring, I want to be with you forever. I'll do everything for you.'

She walked to the boy and as she leaned on him, she slightly rubbed herself again his back.  
"Let me help you, Sempai." she breathed in his ear and put her hands on his, slightly correcting his movements that, for some reason, became less accurate then before.

-

A half an hour later, when mid-day meal was usually prepared in Emiya household, Shiro walked to Ranma, who was training, in rather quick pace.

"I'm ready to train with you." he said, glancing back worriedly as if he was followed.

"I thought you wanted to help Sakura in the kitchen?" said Rider, flicking her ponytail back over her shoulder as she stopped her kata.

The boy blushed when he remembered the plum haired girl hugging and even rubbing herself slightly against his back while trying to disguise it as helping him cook and coughed to hide his embarrassment.

"No, I think it's better for me to train more."

Rider smiled and Shiro doubted for a second if he did the right thing when he noticed that her smile had a predatory feel to it.

-

'Damn' he thought after he misplaced a block and her poke threw him on the floor again.

"Heh. Got you." she smirked and pulling him back to his feet, she stepped back to resume the training.

-

They paused only when door to the training hall opened and Sakura came in quietly.

"Dinner is ready sempai. I hope you'll like it."

"Come on, Shiro. I'll give you a lesson on high speed maneuvering." said Rider and took Shiro's hand before she turned into blur.

-

When the day was at its end, Shiro sat at one of windows and watching the sundown, remembered one of the many talks he had with the man he called his father, Kiritsugu Emiya.

"Back when I was a child, I used to admire superheroes." said his father in his usual calm tone.

"What do you mean used to? You gave up?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, being a hero eventually loses its appeal and it's becomes harder to claim to be one when you've become an adult."

After a short pause, he added.

"I wish I understood that earlier."

Shiro thought about his words for a second and said.

"Then I'll become one for you. You can't become one anymore since you're an adult now. But I should be able to. I'll make your dream come true!"

"Yes. I believe you."

-

His trip to his past was interrupted when he felt someone approach.

"Archer?" he asked "What happened?"

"I came to tell you, Emiya Shiro. It's impossible to save everyone. Your ideals are naïve and foolish and the sooner they break the less suffering they'll bring you."

"I will not betray myself." answered Shiro in a rather irritated voice.

"As you wish, Emiya Shiro." answered Archer, with a note of despise in his voice and walked away.

Shiro watched at his retreating back balefully, angry at him for laughing at his ideals but soon he cooled down and returned to his past.

-

"Coming Shiro?" said Rider, appearing outside of his window.

"Yes. Where's Sakura?" he asked, somewhat nervously. He couldn't help to prepare dinner or even eat it because of the girl's behavior.

"Don't worry. Rin left Archer with her."

-

"This is the place?" asked Shiro when Saber put him down.

"Yes." answered Rin when Rider landed a second later and put her down as well.

"Here lives Bazzet Fraga McRemitz, a mage who arrived a few days ago from Mages Association. She's skilled enough to fight a Servant, so be careful."

-

They entered the house and seeing no one, walked in different directions.

"Ugh. I don't think she was skilled enough." said Rider, pointing to an object on the floor.

Rin came closer and saw that a hand was lying there. Her lips turned into a thin line from worry.

"That means that her Servant either disappeared or has another Master."

-

Saber suddenly looked towards the entrance and summoned her sword.

"I feel that a Servant is approaching."

Rin turned around as well and said in an angry voice, even before a familiar figure appeared in a doorway.

"Archer, I told you to stay with Sakura!"

Archer stepped aside, revealing the said girl and answered.

"I found a place with several bodies. It looked like they where stripped of their energy by a Servant."

"Stripped? You mean killed?" asked Rider with anger.

Rin facepalmed and said.

"Honestly, Rider. Don't you know anything? Servants live on Mana from their Masters but can also receive it by draining humans. Sometimes Masters even order their Servants to do so, because the more Mana a Servant has, the stronger he would be. "

Seeing two other Masters and Rider blanch in disgust, she sighed and continued.

"Anyway. I don't have any other leads on other Masters, so you can go back home. Shiro's too tired to be of any help, so I'll check what Archer found."

-

Half an hour later when everybody went to sleep, Shiro woke up because something… somebody was undressing him.

"Who…" he started to ask, but was immediately silenced by a kiss.

"I won't hurt you sempai." said Sakura brushing his cheek and leaning away so she could deal with the rest of the clothes.

-

"Ahhh." Rider's eyes snapped open with a cry and she almost fell to the floor while trying to get out of bed, where her body tried to arch from the sheer intensity of the feeling she got through the link she had with Sakura, as fast as possible.

"What the hell was that?" she yelled, shocked.

When more started to come through the link and she felt what was happening to her body, she shivered with disgust and tried to suppress the urge to tear out this feeling out of her body along with the skin and blood if needed.

'Hot water.' appeared the saving thought and she dashed madly towards the kitchen.

-

"Man, I'll have to ask Sakura to never do that again if she wants me to stay in my girl form." shivered male Ranma when he walked back into his room and fell on his bed ignoring that his clothes were wet.


	5. Day 4

Day 4

Waking up in a rather pleasant mood Rider stretched before she understood that not changing wet clothes before going to sleep was a mistake and the curse activated again.

Nevertheless, something from her dream, even though it was forgotten, kept tonight's events from completely spoiling her morning.

Stretching again, she debated over should she change back or train more and soon her side that strived to become the best fighter won and she went to the training hall thinking that maybe this time she'll get Saber to train with her.

-

Shiro woke up and saw that Sakura still cuddled with him. He raised his hand and brushed her hair from her face, thinking what to do now.

He carefully removed her hands from his body and quietly stood up.

Dressing up, he thought. 'I have to sort out my feelings. But first I need to know more about Saber.'

-

He walked out so deep in thought about his plans for this day that he didn't notice Rider and bumped into her. The impact, even softened by her figure, pulled him out the dreamland and he saw… no felt her burning gaze and stepped back.

"Can you at least warn me if you're going to do again what you did tonight?" she asked and with a poke to his chest, she added in a much darker voice that promised doom if disagreed with.

"And if you'll want to do that to me, I'll kill you."

Finishing what she wanted to say, she walked past Shiro, who was trying to figure out what got her so riled up. His face slightly reddened when he understood.

'Oh, so she felt everything through the Mana link. No wonder.'

His blush became crimson colored when he turned his head to watch Rider elegant movements and images of Rider or Saber in a bed with him appeared in his head.

-

Shiro walked towards the training hall, the usual place for Saber to be, in hopes of asking her out for a walk so he could understand Saber more.

-

When he walked past Rin's room, the door opened slightly and Rin's sleepy voice asked.

"Shiro, when the breakfast is going to be ready?"

'Ahh. That's right. Sakura is still sleeping.'

"I'm only going to start preparing it." He answered and decided to postpone his plans until after the breakfast was ready.

-

Once he arrived to the kitchen, he opened the fridge and frowned when he noticed that the food that should've lasted for a week, would be gone by tomorrow.

'It's a good thing that Rin is helping me with money.' he thought starting to cook.

-

"Ah, Sakura. This smells delicious!" exclaimed Taiga looking over the food with hungry eyes.

"It wasn't me. Shiro made everything because I overslept." answered the girl, her cheeks reddening far more then a usual praise could achieve.

Taiga noticed that slight change of her behavior and looked at Shiro, who was concentrating on eating, and then Rider who also had, if ever so slight, blush.

"My boy! You are all grown up now!" she happily exclaimed, hugging Shiro with bone crunching force and her eyes started to tear up. Mere seconds passed before those tears have grown in a full-blown wail.

"Even Shiro has the one he loves. Why can't I find that special someone myself?!"

"Fuji-nee! Stop it!" panicked the boy, when he noticed that Rin choked and started coughing hard.

The breakfast was cut short as only Servants had any appetite left, but no food was wasted, that's for sure.

-

"Saber, I wanted to ask you," said Shiro, while he improved his swordsmanship with Saber.

"Is it true that you can also get Mana by killing people?" He wanted to know because the thought of Saber killing innocent people and using their lives as some kind of food, was deeply disturbing to him.

Saber disengaged and looked intently at Shiro before answering.

"Yes, as a Servant, I can use humans to refill my Mana supply. But attacking defenseless is against my code of honor. "

"But I'm sorry Master. If you wish for me to replenish my Mana this way, you can command me to and I will, but I'll take away one of you seals as a payment for bending my will."

With that Saber put her training weapon away and walked toward the exit.

Shiro put away his sword as well and said before she reached the door.

"No, I'm sorry for making you think that I can give such order."

Saber stopped when she heard his answer, but a second later she walked outside.

-

Looking at her as she walked away, Shiro thought.

'Saber is not cold-hearted killer. I'm glad that I was right about her.'

-

When Saber went out of his sight, he decided to go to of one his schoolmates that asked him to came over and repair his computer before tomorrow.

But as soon as he walked out, he met with Rider who had that insufferable smile of hers. A smile that meant that until Sakura prepares mid-day lunch he would stay in the training hall, learning martial arts from her.

-

When a punch that as Shiro thought would miss his side, turned into a series of painful strikes and what was worse, all of them were done with a single finger, he stepped away on suddenly wobbly legs and decided to talk with her while he recovered.

"Rider, what Sakura wants to do once she reaches Grail? Why did she became a Master?" he asked, panting from training at such crazed pace for over an hour.

Purple haired Servant walked to him and started to press certain points on his body, pressure points as he understood. When she leaned to reach his legs, he turned his eyes away before he could saw more of her figure than he should've had.

While she used her knowledge to bring him back to shape that would be sufficient for more training, she answered.

"Sakura doesn't want the Grail, I do. As to why she became a Master… Her grandfather ordered her to. That bastard."

"So Servants fight for the Grail? And Saber too?" asked Shiro, surprised by this revelation.

He didn't put much thought to figuring out why Saber fought for him, but he wasn't expecting to hear that she fought because she needed Grail.

"Well, yeah. Saber definitely wants it, but so do I. She even won't spar with me because she's afraid that I'll learn her moves."

Rider finally tapped the last point and Shiro felt some of his strength return to him.

"Now, where were we?" she grinned and backed away, so Shiro could try the attacks she showed him earlier, on her.

-

"Dinner's ready." said Sakura opening the door to the training hall and saw Shiro on floor, breathing heavily and her Servant who trained alone.

"Sempai, do you need my help?" asked the plum haired girl, blushing as she looked at Shiro heaving chest and remembered their night together.

"No, I fine Sakura. If I won't learn to how to fight soon, I'll be useless in a battle." said the boy, standing up and wiping sweat from his forehead before walking to the door.

"Don't take too long refreshing yourself. Pressure points will wear off in a half an hour and you have to eat a lot to compensate."

"Half an hour?! Rider?! What will happen after?" he asked, slightly shocked at how harsh Rider's training was. First she squeezed every ounce of strength out of him and then she said that he has a half an hour to eat if he wanted to feel better then a sack of rice for the rest of the day.

-

Looking at the Rider's back as she went to the living room, Shiro didn't notice Tosaka walking to him from behind.

"You are going to train with me, Emiya, that's what. You are a magi, you have to learn how to use your magic." said Rin in a harsh voice, but when she saw how tired he was, her voice softened somewhat.

"It won't be hard. You'll just have to reinforce at least one of the lamps I found in your shack."

-

After the meal, Shiro went after Rin, feeling that those pressure points started to wear off and he wanted to sit before he fell on the floor and suffered Tosaka's anger.

Rin opened the door to one of the empty rooms and switched on the lights, revealing dozens of old lamps on the floor.

"Here. And you're not getting out of here until you succeed." said Rin and closed the door.

-

"Now, I need to talk with Rider. Honestly, how could Sakura mess up her summoning so badly?" sighed Rin as she went to training hall, where Sakura's Servant usually spent her time.

'Is she eating again?' thought Rin, when she opened the door to the training hall and saw no-one. 'I wonder why she is eating so much. Is it one of the traits she was famous for?'

When Rin came to kitchen she saw only Sakura there. The girl quickly turned to face her but saw it wasn't Shiro as she hoped and turned back to her cooking, disappointed.

"Sakura, where's Rider?"

"In our room." answered the girl, in a voice that was colder then usual.

Sighing at Sakura's display of jealousy, Rin went to the room and there she saw something she wasn't expecting, given what she learned of Rider's character.

The purple haired Servant half sat on her bed and read one of the books that were scattered all around her.

"Yeah?" Rider stopped reading and turned to the newcomer questioningly.

"I wanted to know what you remember about your life before you were summoned here." asked Rin, Rider's yesterday's questions about things that every Servant should know despite how bad summoning was done, made her suspect that Rider's memory was more than messed up.

Rider looked at her puzzled and answered.

"Didn't I tell you that before? I remember my life, before I got cursed at those damn springs and then summoned here, very well."

"I didn't ask about your other form's legend. I meant your life before you became a heroic spirit."

The Servant before her frowned and showed what book she was reading.

'Architecture of Ancient Greece?!'

"If ya are asking about this form's memories, then I only remember a few dreams about a temple that looked like the ones me and Pops saw in Greece. But it looked almost new and had a strange looking city around it. So, I figured that if I find the temple that looks close then I'll find out who was the girl I'm turning into."

'She doesn't even remembers what are her Noble Phantasms are?!' thought Rin, feeling as cold feeling of dread started to creep inside of her being, when she understood the amount of damage that Rider's memory sustained.

"Any luck with your search?"

Rider looked at the book she was holding and frowned again.

"No. I found something about a temple that looks close, but it says that it was one of Athena's temples and I'm sure that I'm not Athena."

-

"Trace: on"

Shiro concentrated and started his spell. He felt one of his magic circuits activate and energy flow through his hand.

"Ahh, damn!" he cursed when the lamp he was trying to reinforce shattered and he climbed on his feet to go to next row of lamps, leaving the broken fourth one behind.

When the last lamp shattered, Shiro was in less then pleasant mood.

'Why am I failing every time? My spell does work.' He thought as he remembered how Rider ended Fuji-nee complaints that she steals all of her favorite food with a suggestion to fight over it with chopsticks. When they were down to last sets, Rider gave him her weapon to reinforce. He took them, closed his eyes and after he casted his spell, they never broke.

'And Caster said that I have a talent. What am I doing wrong?'

Shiro was ready to stop the training for now and do it after he talked with Rin, but suddenly he remembered Rider's talk about high-end martial techniques she met. Particularly, the hidden weapons style, where user made an item disappear and then reappear at will.

He tried to will Rule Breaker to appear in his hand, but stopped himself.

'I'm a magician, not a martial artist. I'll never be good enough to pull it this way. But how can I use reinforcement to create something?'

Unfortunately for Shiro, this line of thought was interrupted by Saber.

"Shiro, it's time for evening meal. "

"Thank you, Saber." smiled Shiro, climbing to his feet and following her to the living room.

-

"Where are going tonight Rin?" asked Shiro.

Tōsaka sighed. "I thought about attacking Ilya, but now I'm not so sure. And I don't know who other Masters could be. Though, if Kotomine wasn't a mediator in this War, I would've suspected him, since one of his arms is bandaged but doesn't move as damaged."

"In short, tonight we'll simply patrol the city."


	6. Day 5

Day 5

Ranma slowly left the dreamland, his senses telling him that it was safe enough to take his time. Waking from the dream where he was with two women that looked a lot like his girl form.

'Some sisters. They treated me even worse then Pops did.' He thought as he remembered their relentless teasing and stopped when he caught himself.

'Sisters? But I don't have any!'

'Damn, this curse is messing with my mind again.' He thought when he opened his eyes and saw his gloved hands hugging Sakura who snuggled as close as possible.

'I don't even feel the difference between my forms now; it's almost as if I was born that way.' Rider thought with displeasure, carefully removing her hands and moved away from the girl, her long hair trailing behind.

Ranma stopped when Sakura turned in her sleep and revealed her face.

'Man, what happened yesterday that made her cry again? And more importantly why I'm in cursed form? I don't remember splashing myself.' she thought slightly worried and decided to wake the girl.

"Sakura. C'mon, wake up." She said, lightly shaking the girl, but Sakura only faintly smiled in her sleep and tried to pull the older girl closer.

'What the hell happened to her? She's holding me like I was holding the cliff when Pops trained me how to climb it and I almost fell down.'

Deciding to use harsher methods, Rider pressed several pressure points on other girl's body, immediately waking her up.

"Rider? Good morning." said Sakura releasing her and said in voice that Ranma only heard peple talked about losing something dear to them.

"I'm sorry I splashed you yesterday, I just wanted to be near you."

"Why?" asked Ranma, slightly puzzled by her tone but she felt too relieved when she understood that she changed because of cold water and not because the curse self-activated as she first thought to think more about it.

Sakura rose from the bed and went to change to her day clothes, causing her Servant to turn around and slightly blush.

When she finished, the younger girl answered the earlier question with slight hesitation as if she tried to veil her thoughts from showing in her voice.

"After Shiro fell asleep I thought that you might feel lonely and came to you."

"Right…" Ranma felt that she should ask more, but decided that delicious smell that came from the kitchen was more important then pursuing some vague notions.

-

At the breakfast, when Shiro helped Sakura with bringing food and Taiga called away Saber for a minute to talk about something, Ranma asked Rin who sat near at the opposite side of the table.

"What happened to Sakura yesterday? She had me worried in the morning."

Rin looked at the Servant and answered.

"After we returned I said to Sakura that in the end of this war she'll have to either void her contract with you, or hurt Shiro, because, most likely, he'll not be willing to cancel his contract with Saber."

Rin paused when the door opened and Shiro and Rider's Master walked in with trays full of food, but continued when everybody took their places.

"What do you think about it yourself, Rider?"

Ranma waved that question off before she started to empty her dish.

"I'll think about it when I'll have to."

-

After the meal, Masters went to school, followed by incorporeal Archer and Rider was having fun practicing her stalking skills while she followed the trio. Saber stayed at home because Shiro didn't want her to come to school with him and she could neither disappear, nor she was skilled at stealth.

-

After the long uneventful day, when they were returning from school, Shiro separated from the girls because he had to go to the hospital to visit Ayako.

He found her yesterday, in one of the alleys where she laid unconscious, while he and Saber looked for other Masters and immediately carried her to the nearest hospital.

Now he wanted to check on her and ask if she remembered anything that could lead him to whereabouts of other Masters.

-

Several hours later, when Shiro walked home, he decided to relax in the park and buy himself something to eat. A little peace and quiet, even a short one sounded nice, because when he arrived to Ayako, he met a policeman that searched for the girl and who didn't let him go until he heard in detail about how, when and why Shiro found the girl and carried her to the hospital.

"Good evening, Shiro." said frighteningly familiar and cheerful voice, breaking the silence that seemed to permeate the evening air.

Shiro recoiled as if he wanted to run away but saw that Ilya was without Berserker and calmed a little.

"Hello, Ilya."

"What are you doing here all alone, onii-chan? Its dangerous." asked Ilya, walking closer and slightly leaning so she could look into his eyes.

"You are here to kill me?"

"No. I don't want to kill you, yet." answered Ilya and her eyes suddenly became red.

"Oh, you are caught already." pouted the girl, seeing Shiro body freeze as soon as she used a paralyze spell.

"You're so defenseless, Shiro. It's even cute." said Ilya and when his eyes started to close she added.

"Good night, onii-chan."

-

"Shiro." Saber looked up from her meditative pose she usually spent her time in and rose to her feet.

"Rin, Shiro is in trouble. Most likely he's captured by an enemy." She said when she found Archer's Master in the yard.

The sorcerer turned around to her. "Archer ran away somewhere on his own. And I don't want to use my second Command Seal to summon him here yet."

Rin turned back to where she was facing before and asked, pointing forward. "Tell me Saber, is this where Shiro was taken to?"

Saber checked in which direction her link with Shiro went to, and nodded.

"Yes, it appears that Shiro was taken in that direction."

"If Archer went to help Shiro, then maybe we can defeat even Berserker."

-

Shiro was in the dreamland. It was only explanation why he was near a hill that was half surrounded by an army of medieval knights that were shouting praise to their king.

"Long live the king!"

"He never ages!"

"He is an incarnation of a dragon!"

"He never showed fear since he took up his sword!"

'King?'

He looked up the hill and saw Saber stand on the very top with both of her hands on hilt of a vaguely familiar sword.

'Saber?'

'That sword. I think I saw it somewhere.'

-

Soon the dream ended and he found himself tied to a chair in unknown room.

"Onii-chan, finally you are awake." said Ilya suddenly appearing before him.

"Where am I?"

"You are in my room. Be thankful for that Shiro, usually captives go to prison in the cellar."

Ilya walked to him and sat on his knees before saying.

"Become my servant Shiro. Then I won't have to kill you."

"What?! No, I can't be your servant."

"But when I kill Saber you won't have to be Master anymore. I'll protect you forever." said Ilya, hugging the boy.

"No! I won't let you hurt Saber!"

"Shiro, you should remember that I hold your life in my hands. You shouldn't make me angry." said Ilya silencing his outburst.

"You're special to me but if you betray me, I'll kill you as well."

"I can't become your servant Ilya, I can't betray Saber."

Ilya jumped down from his knees and said while she walked out.

"Then stay here, Shiro. I'll kill all other Masters and Saber. Maybe then you'll regret your decision."

-

When the door closed, Shiro immediately tried to break free, but the remains of Ilya's spell still hindered his movements.

"I'll just have to clean her spell out of me."

He concentrated and felt one of his spell circuits activate, forming the spell.

"It forms much faster than usual. Must be because of the jewel Rin made me swallow when we first met."

-

"Just a bit more. Yes!" exclaimed Shiro, pulling his hands out of the ropes.

He sneaked towards the door and was about to open it when the window behind him shattered and a familiar figure jumped into the room.

"Archer?! What are you doing here?"

Archer smirked and created two falchions in his hands. One sword was black, while its twin brother was white.

"I came to kill you Emiya Shiro."

"What!? Didn't Rin said that we have a truce!?" yelled Shiro, not believing that Tōsaka could do such a thing.

"I came here on my own free will." answered Archer, crossing the swords in front of his chest.

"My True name is Emiya Shiro. World's Counter Guardian. A man who betrays the beliefs he swore not to break every time he kills a hundred to save a thousand, a thousand to save a million."

Archer glared at the redheaded boy, intently, and added.

"That's why you have to die. I will remove myself from the history!"

With last words said, Archer leaped at the boy, his swords prepared for an overhead swing.

Shiro desperately thought about defense and, suddenly, he remembered Caster's words.

'With your talent you'll be able to recreate my Rule Breaker when you'll need it.'

Bringing his hand to a position to block Archer's attack, he imagined the dagger appearing in his hand.

-

A falchion met with Rule Breaker and shattered while its twin missed when the force of the first blow threw the boy through the door and into the wall.

Coughing, Shiro stood upright and pointed the weapon at his opponent.

"I don't believe you! I would never betray my ideals!"

Archer cursed in disgust at the speech of his younger self and leaped forward before Shiro could react and jump back. The dagger pierced Archer's shoulder with a flash of light and the Servant took a step back.

"Now that you have removed my contract with Rin, I have more then enough time to kill you. In the end there's nothing you can do to save yourself, Shiro." he said creating another pair of swords.

'This is bad. I can't fight him with only a dagger, I need a stronger weapon.' thought Shiro gripping Rule Breaker and searching his memory for a stronger weapon. However, Archer wasn't willing to give him enough time and attacked, one of his swords meeting the dagger while the other one cut deeply in the Shiro's arm.

Fortunately, this time he didn't flew into the wall but along the corridor and upon landing he, as quickly as he could, stood up and ran toward the exit.

-

He ran into the big hall and noting the stairs, he ran down still hoping to reach the door, but already hearing the whistle of Archer's twin falchions that flew to him.

Suddenly, Ilya voice cut through his ragged breathing.

"Berserker!"

Instantly the giant jumped down and with one swing deflected the flying swords, his landing shaking the floor enough to throw the redheaded boy to the ground.

"Nobody will kill him but me!" said Ilya in an angry voice appearing from shadow before the staircase where she hid and yelled.

"Berserker, tear that Servant apart!

Her Servant roared and charged Archer who dodged his swing, but even the air pressure waves from the giant's weapon proved sufficient for a deep cut to appear on his shoulder.

Using his swords, he tried to block the next, fatal, attack but was overpowered and thrown in to the wall.

"Heh. You live up to your reputation, Hercules." smirked Archer and leaped to the second floor.

"I'm the bone of my sword." started his incantation Archer and bow and an unusual looking sword appeared in his hands, the sword reshaping itself to an arrow of light when he prepared to fire.

He released his arrow towards the boy that was in the middle of the hall, but with surprising agility Berserker intercepted it.

The impact created an astonishing explosion that sent a pillar of energy through the ceiling.

"Berserker had to block? Who is he?" murmured Ilya when the dust and debris settled down and both the Giant and the redheaded boy looked unharmed.

"Berserker, kill him quickly before he kills you!"

Archer once again created a pair of swords in his hands and looked defiantly at Hercules.

"Steel is my body. And fire is my blood."

-

"Oh, man. Something bad is happening there." said Rider in a worried voice when a column of light tore upwards out of the castle they were heading to.

"Archer is dead. I hope that means Shiro is still alive." said Rin and worriedly looked at Saber, who was carrying her.

"It would've been easier if I didn't have to carry you along." grumbled the other Servant, looking down at the plum haired girl who had two red seals adorning one of her hands.

-

A few jumps and ten seconds later they knocked down the door and half destroyed hall appeared before them. In there, fought Berserker and …

"Archer!?" yelled Rin, at first glance she thought that since he was alive then somehow the contract between them was broken and she could get him back, but Berserker seemed to… defend Shiro from Archer.

-

"Rin, get Sakura out of here! I'll get Shiro." said Ranma materializing her chain.

When the girl nodded and pulled the other girl back, she jumped in and sent her weapon towards the boy. When it tied itself around him, she pulled but Berserker suddenly turned around, slashed the chain apart and charged at her.

'This is bad.' appeared the thought, before her reflexes acted and she jumped high in the air, simultaneously reforming her chain.

-

Archer took his chance to attack and would've killed his target if it wasn't for Saber who blocked his swords and forced her enemy to jump back.

Looking at his enemy, Archer smiled a sad smile and continued his incantation.

"Unknown to death, nor known to life."

-

'Heh. Stupid brute.' thought Ranma, jumping from one wall to another in a path that'll carry her over her target and as soon as she saw Berserker's back, she attacked. Her spikes dressed into a purple light and spinning madly, shot out of her hands with a speed that rivaled a low-speed bullet.

The giant roared when two more bloody holes appeared in his back and tried to grab the chain, but Rider, clinging to a wall far out of his reach, already retracted them and prepared to attack again.

"Berserker! Kill them all now!" yelled Ilya, now angry beyond belief. Her entire body covered in arcane symbols representing magic circuits and her Servant, with a blue aura appearing around him, roared and smashed his fist into the floor. That simple rage-driven move carried enough power to shake the building and even cause his purple haired enemy to lose her hold on the wall.

Ranma's eyes widened when Hercules, moving with lightning speed, jumped to her and his weapon swung to cleave her in half.

Using the axe-club as leverage, she pulled herself out the gap between the weapon and the wall, a moment before it closed with thunderous crash. But she was unable to disengage because Berserker grabbed her with his free hand and squeezing her hard, threw her into another wall.

-

'Well, if odds are not in my favor, I just need to turn them around.' thought Rider, trying to keep her consciousness when her body slid out of the crater she just created.

Shaking her head free of the fog and rising to her knees, she looked at the approaching giant and leaped away.

-

Bouncing off every surface she could use to escape her pursuer, even with her slowed movements, she made her way towards Saber.

"Let _him_ take care of Archer!" she yelled and abruptly jumped aside, setting Berserker and Archer on a collision course.

Understanding the plan, Saber forgot about her opponent, who barely jumped out of harm's way, and taking Shiro's hand, dashed towards the exit.

Unfortunately for two Servants and Shiro, Archer managed to finish his incantation before they were out of his Noble Phantasm's reach.

"So as I pray. _Unlimited Blade Works._"

With those words, everyone seemed to freeze in motion as light erupted from under his legs and a ring of fire expanded from him, changing the stone floor to a brown ground as it ran along it.

As soon as the fire ring reached the ceiling and closed above Archer's head, everyone found themselves in a dim-lighted barren land with a lot of swords sticking out of the brown soil. The sky was covered by dark clouds and giant gears were seen far away, as if they limited this strange place.

-

"What… A Reality Marble?" said Ilya as she looked around. "Where is he, Berserker?"

"A Reality Marble?" repeated Rider and looked at Shiro, who only clutched his bleeding arm harder and shook his head.

-

"I'm here." said Archer's calm voice.

When everyone turned around, they saw his bloodied figure standing proudly with smirk on his face.

"As you can see, you are facing an unlimited amount of swords. The finest of swords. Even though my defeat is certain, I'll take you with me."

With those words, Archer pulled the sword nearby out of the ground and charged.

"Berserker!" cried Ilya and the giant intercepted the red and black clad Servant.

-

When Hercules who seemed invincible in their previous fights, roared and fell to his knees with several swords protruding from his body, Ranma felt that Archer might succeed in killing them all here.

-

"Hey, what the hell?! This guy was dead!" she yelled when Berserker stood up, all of his injuries disappearing and with a leap he intercepted Archer before he could get close to Shiro.

"The strongest of Servants." smirked Archer and changed his tactics. Now, whenever he found an opportunity and those happened quite often, he threw nearby swords at two Servants that protected Shiro.

-

"Ouch. What are these swords are made from? They pack more punch than a boulder." hissed Rider when she deflected a sword thrown by Archer and felt the recoil painfully echo in her body.

"Stand aside." commanded Saber and a strong wind that was coiled around her sword, concealing it, was released and made sure that none of Archer's projectiles could hit them.

-

A few minutes later, Archer stopped his assault and jumped away from the Berserker.

"Emiya Shiro. I have an advice for you." his voice easily cut through other sounds, even the roar of Saber's Invisible Air.

"Get this straight. You are not a fighter, you are a creator. There's only one thing you can do, master that one thing."

Archer's body started to disappear, turning into sparks, but he continued.

"Always remember. If you can't defeat your enemies with what you have, imagine what you need and then your only enemy will be you own image."

When Archer stopped, the world around them changed back to the badly damaged hall they were in before.

-

"I can't believe he killed Berserker two times. I can't believe." murmured Ilya, irritated, and turned to Shiro.

"Now, onii-chan. I'll kill those Servants."

The redheaded boy climbed to his knees, still weak from the loss of blood, and asked.

"Stop this Ilya. I don't want to fight you."

"No, onii-chan. I'm a Master and while I have Berserker I must kill other Masters."

"Then… I will kill Berserker." said Shiro, standing up with Rider's help, who looked far worse than he did.

Hearing Shiro's words, Saber stepped in front of them and raised her sword.

"Berserker! Kill them all!"

-

As the giant flew towards them, Saber's sword, now fully revealed, started to descent. "Excalibur!" she cried out and a river of crackling yellow energy shot towards the Berserker and engulfing him passed further, creating another huge hole in the castle's roof.

When the light subsided, only a cloud of sparks showed the place where Berserker stood, only seconds ago.

-

Saber smiled faintly and would've fallen on the ground if it wasn't for Shiro, who ran to her and held her close, hoping that she won't disappear as her armor and sword just did. He didn't notice when his strength ran out and he fell unconscious as well.

"Berserker!" whispered Ilya staring at her hand, where her Command Seals were, her heart filling with sorrow.

-

"Now, where's Sakura and Rin?" asked Ranma looking around.

"Even if I look okay, I had a way too rough night to be able to carry them both all by myself" she said when she spotted her target, a small abandoned shack, and walked to it, feeling every bruise that brute left on her body.


	7. Day 6

Day 6

Dawn came, but neither of Emiya household residents had any sleep. In fact they still slowly walked home.

-

"I'm sorry to be such a burden Shiro." whispered Saber to her Master, who supported her with his good hand and felt his embrace slightly tighten when he tiredly answered.

"You're not a burden Saber. It is I who should be sorry for being a bad Master."

-

Ranma who was walking with Sakura felt a slight shiver as the girl glared at Saber after hearing her Sempai's words and shivered even more when she felt Sakura's feelings through their link.

The plum haired girl was obviously torn apart between helping Shiro and not helping Saber, something she would be surely asked to do by Shiro if she offered her help to the boy.

'Man, this sucks. If the damage I took carries over to my guy form, and with my luck it surely does, then I'll be dead as doornail because of my almost crushed ribs. So I can't even change now. I wonder what's next.' She thought unhappy thoughts as she inspected the state she was in, much deeper then a brief mid-combat scan could allow.

'Ahh, damn. I just had to ask!' she cursed mentally when her next step was less careful and her chest reminded her of damage done to it with a flash of pain.

-

"Finally! Took us long enough." said Rin, eager to rest after she restored some of the Shiro's strength because Sakura was very convincing that he should be healed as fast as possible.

"I think we better skip the school today." said Rin and continued when they walked inside.

"Shiro, you and Saber better get some sleep. I'll rest as well."

Sakura nodded, glaring at Saber who was almost carried by Shiro to his room because it was closer then Saber's.

"I'll prepare the breakfast and something for Sempai to restore his strength."

"Ahh. Food!" happily sighed Rider as she went with Sakura to the kitchen, not to help with cooking of course, but to get a heap of products from the fridge and eat them all.

-

Sakura glanced at her Servant's actions for several minutes before she put away the knife that she cut vegetables with and asked.

"Can you help with cooking?"

"Cooking? But I only know how to make a few things over a campfire." said Rider, pausing and standing up.

"Well, you can help me chop the vegetables. It's not very… hard."

Sakura trailed off, when Rider walked to her and, smirking, took the knife and briefly turned it into a transparent metal disk.

"Okay. I don't like to be a freeloader anyway."

-

"Ah, Rider-san. I didn't wash all of them yet." Sweatdropped Sakura, watching as her Servant threw all of the vegetables into the air and neatly sliced them as they fell through the flashing blur that Rider turned her knife into.

"Ehh…Sorry about this." sheepishly answered the older girl, putting the knife down, next to small accurate heaps of cut vegetables.

-

Almost as soon as he closed his eyes, Shiro found himself in the dreamland.

He saw a green grass plain with a rock that had a familiar sword in it and two people.

One was a tall man in dark cloak and the other one, dressed in simple pants and shirt, was…

"Saber?"

"Arturia, you must think it over again very carefully. Once you touch the sword, you will become King of Britain and you'll be human no more." said the cloaked man, when Saber's hand almost touched the sword's hilt.

"Yes, I know. I'm ready." Answered the girl and pulled the weapon out of the rock.

-

Shiro slowly woke up.

"A dream? Or did I saw Saber's past?"

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt somebody stir near him.

"Good morning, onii-chan!" cheerfully cried out Illyasviel von Einzbern and hugged the boy.

"Ilya?! What are you doing here?" he asked, rather startled, when he saw someone he least expected to see today.

The girl slightly pouted and loosening her hug, said.

"I lost my Servant, so I decided to live here with you. You don't want me here?"

"Ahh…No, that's not it."

"Thank you, onii-chan, you're so kind!" said Ilya and hugged him in joy again.

-

"Shiro, you're awake already? There's no rush, we already defeated the strongest Servant." said Rin to the boy when walked into the living room, while she battled her sleepiness with a cup of hot tea and waited for breakfast to arrive.

"Breakfast is ready Sempai." said Sakura and walked out the kitchen with a big tray, filled with dishes she put a lot of effort in, in her hands. Rider followed her with two trays that held the food for other people.

"Thank you Sakura." said Shiro and wanted to taste what she brought him, but suddenly heard Ilya's voice.

"Oh, breakfast. Thank you for waiting for me onii-chan!"

"Ilya?!" asked surprised Rin.

"What is she doing here, Sempai? Her Servant almost killed you twice!" Sakura continued Rin's thoughts.

"Onii-chan said I can stay. He's the greatest." Ilya joyfully answered and hugged Shiro, causing Sakura's brow to twitch in anger.

"Sempai!" Sakura said with anger carefully hidden in her voice and turned to Rider for support.

Ranma felt the girl's intense glare and raising her eyes from her plate, she said.

"Well, that giant is dead. So I guess she's harmless… Ehh." she half-saw and half felt that what she said was definitely not what Sakura wanted and stopped half way through the sentence.

"She's still a Master, so it's possible for her to make a contract with a Servant that lost his Master." said Rin, looking at their new guest.

"No, I will not make another contract. Berserker is the only Servant for me." sighed Ilya as she took her place and started to eat.

"Well, then I think there might be no harm if we let her stay then, we did wreck her home after all." said Rin , causing Sakura's brow to twitch again, undoubtedly from the amount of love she felt for her sister.

-

"Where's Saber? It's not like her to skip breakfast." asked Rider, when the breakfast was finished and Taiga left for school.

"She put almost everything she had in that Noble Phantasm. And since Shiro can't supply her with Mana, she might disappear soon." answered Rin, looking at Shiro who looked rather gloomy.

"Onii-chan, you can save Saber if you order her to attack humans. It's the best way to restore her power unless you give her one of your magic circuits. But that's stupid!"

Shiro jerked upright and looked at Rin. The girl sighed and answered with a dejected look since she already knew what he was thinking.

"Yes, I can transplant some of your circuits into Saber with a ritual and you'll be able to give her Mana. But it'll make you an even more useless mage, so I don't think it should be done."

"No, I agree. I'll never order Saber to attack humans and don't want her to die." said Shiro with determination in his eyes.

-

Soon they went to Shiro's room and saw that Saber was still sleeping. Rin walked to the blonde girl and briefly turning to Sakura, said.

"Sakura, Rider. I must ask you not to interfere with the ritual or it will hurt Shiro. And you don't want that, do you?"

"Yeah, sure." answered Rider, but Sakura broke her silence only when Rin said a short incantation and kissed Shiro while unbuttoning his shirt.

"Rin?! Please stop!"

Tōsaka stepped away from the dazed boy and walking to Saber, she answered.

"It's a part of the ritual. They must be in very close contact as possible."

Saber repeated Sakura's words when Rin half-unbuttoned her shirt as well and kissed the girl.

"Now, come here Shiro. You need to lie on top of her."

"Come Rider. I can't stand to see this anymore." said red-faced Sakura and quickly walked out of the room with waves of anger threatening to overcome her other feelings when she saw the boy lay on top of Saber and close his eyes.

-

When Rin said the last words of her incantation, Shiro found himself falling somewhere. He started to scream as the fall seemed never ending, but soon enough the descent ended.

Looking around he saw a huge cave with stone pillars sticking out of the boiling lava below.

"Where am I? Is this place Saber's heart?"

His idle talk was interrupted when a small island far away from him shook and a great dragon burst through the ground with a thunderous roar.

The dragon noticed Shiro and with a mighty flap of its wings, it flew high in the air before diving towards the boy.

Shiro dodged the dragon's first attack, but the second attack cost him his arm causing him to scream in excruciating pain.

Suddenly, everything around him changed and looking down he saw Saber standing in the middle of a complex pattern that looked like idle magic circuits that quickly, one by one, lit with power.

Saber looked up at him and the pain disappeared, allowing him to find refuge in unconsciousness.

-

Meanwhile, Ranma was walking to the shop along with Sakura.

"Cheer up. You are uncute when you are angry, you know that?" said the purple haired woman to the other girl.

Sakura heard her words, but instead of cheering up as Rider hoped, she thought.

'Maybe when I can't hide my feelings to other girls that are so close to Sempai, he thinks I 'm uncute?'

"… Sempai likes me more then Saber or Rin, right? Why does he care for Saber so much, instead of me?"

The spirit link between them provided Ranma with enough clues to understand what went wrong and she tried to take back her words and find another way to cheer up the girl.

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad."

'What should I say? Damn you, Pops. It's because of you I don't know what to say. Oh, I got it.'

"If I almost died protecting you, you would be very worried about me as well, right? So it's probably only until Saber gets better."

But her words only made Sakura remember what Rin said about making a choice between her Servant and Shiro when the War will be at its end. The images of her either betraying Rider if she'll be critically injured or hurting Sempai run through her head, threatening to completely drown her in depression.

Seeing that her words had little effect, or even worked in reverse, Rider grinned, embraced the smaller girl and jumped high in the air, drawing a surprised yelp from her.

'Heh, I no master with words, but I sure know how to shake out depression from people.'

-

The rest of the day in Emiya household was peaceful, because Shiro and Saber where still sleeping and Rin stayed in her room doing who know what.

Rider idled around, rather bored, and was starting to think about helping Sakura with cooking or cleaning, when Ilya approached her and asked.

"What is your name, Rider?"

"Eh? Ranma Saotome. I'm not really a Servant." She started to answer but Ilya interrupted her by raising a hand.

"Yes, I know that story." she said, serious look in her eyes mixing with curiosity and a little mischief.

"But I want you True name. Like Saber's real name is Arturia. I asking because I thought that I know who you are, but I don't remember anyone who fits your description to be able to change forms like that. I promise I won't tell anyone, even onii-chan."

"Ehh…"

Ranma wanted to answer that she doesn't know because she got this body less then a week ago, but several images from her last weird dream came up. The dream about two younger looking girls that looked a lot like his cursed form.

"Medusa, I think." she answered recalling how she was called in that dream.

"I thought so. But I never knew you could change… hmm." Ilya nodded to her thoughts and left.

-

"We're going to search for other Masters. You're sure you want to stay?" asked Shiro, when he, Rin and Saber were about to leave on the tonight's patrol.

"Yeah, Rin said that I might as well rest tonight and that Grail War judge wanted to visit us soon." answered purple haired Servant as she yawned and involuntarily stretched, attracting Shiro's eyes to her well-developed figure and causing Saber to lightly elbow the boy to distract him.

-

A half an hour later, Rider was already asleep and another strange dream visited her.

She was walking in robe-like clothes near the entrance to the temple she usually saw in her dreams, with two girls in similar clothes, she felt were her sisters, walking near her.

"I greet you beauteous Medusa. " Suddenly said a powerful and deep voice, somehow reminding her of sounds she heard at the seashore.

She looked in the direction from where the voice came from and saw a tall white bearded man, dressed in a robe that slowly walked to them.

In one hand he held a trident that he used as a staff and with another he led a snow-white winged horse.

"I greet you as well, Poseidon." Ranma heard her voice say when she stopped to look at her

guest.

"I arrived to present you a gift worthy of maiden of your beauty. It's Pegasus, a horse that rivals even Helios's steeds."

"Ohh, sister. Another gift? How in the world you get even immortals to notice you with those horrendous eyes of yours?" asked her eldest sister Stheno in a mocking tone, reserved for her youngest sister.

"… Amazing." Medusa approached the horse and touching its neck she felt a silk smooth surface.

"It's one of the best presents I had. I thank you." She said to Poseidon and even lustful light in his eyes that was stronger then usual, couldn't diminish her mood.

-

Suddenly, Rider woke up from the feeling that a Servant was not far away. Thinking that it was unusual for Saber to walk in silently, she stood up and carefully walked towards the entrance.

If she wasn't so careful then she surely would've missed a barely noticeable presence behind her. She started to turn around and a half a dozen of small blades that were aimed at her vital organs missed their targets by a hair's width when they shot through her body with streams of blood following them.

As soon as that happened, Rider rolled away, dodging another salvo of knives and leaped to the exit, spinning in the air so she could see who attacked her. She only caught a glimpse of a hunched man in a dark cloak before she flew through the door and embedding one of her spikes in the doorway, threw herself upwards.

Landing on the roof in her usual cat-like stance, she coughed out a short stream of blood and wiping her mouth, she thought what to do.

'Where's Sakura? She's not in the house anymore… And that Servant is moving with her. Was she captured? Man, I got to save… her. Damn!!'

She cursed her helplessness when she felt herself slightly dizzy, a sign that in several minutes she, most likely, will lose consciousness from the loss of blood.

'I must find others. Must warn Shiro.' she thought and roofhoped to find Saber and others, slightly surprised that she cared about the boy's well being a lot more then usual.

-

"Do you sense another Servant, Saber?" asked Shiro, when Saber suddenly stopped and entered her battle stance.

"Yes. It's closing rapidly." answered Saber looking in the direction they came from.

Soon they saw a long-haired figure dressed in flickering purple light, land in front of them and fall to the ground.

"Rider?!" shouted all three when they saw Sakura's Servant lying on the ground with a puddle of blood starting to gather under her.

"What happened?!" Shiro ran to her, while Saber carefully scanned the surroundings.

Rider coughed up some blood and said, visibly straining herself.

"Some invisible Servant ambushed me. I think he captured Sakura and I don't know what happened to Ilya."

"Rider!" yelled Shiro, when her body became limp in his hands.

Rin, who stood near, said in a cold voice she only used at the start of the War.

"She's still alive Shiro. We must return home now."


	8. Day 7

Day 7

Rider dreamed. Her dream world was filled with darkness, not like in the room with lights switched off, but almost living. This sensation was closer to being in the sea at night and feeling barely visible waves splash against your body.

Each splash seemed to leave a portion of its energy in her, bringing closer and closer to awakening. Finally, she had enough strength to break away from her dream and opened her eyes.

-

First thing she felt, was that she couldn't feel yesterday's injuries, instead she was literally bursting from energy she felt inside.

She sat up, and that simple painless movement confirmed that she was completely healed.

'For how long did I sleep? I hope it was not a week or something like that.' She thought worried at the thought of leaving both Sakura and Shiro unprotected for so long.

'Again, why the hell I'm worried about him? Its better not be my curse acting up again and liking him. Gah…disgusting.' she thought, quickly pushing away unwanted thoughts about liking Shiro more then a friend.

-

'It seems that Saber is nearby. I'll go ask her what happened then.' thought Ranam when she turned her attention to surroundings and felt a presence of Servant nearby.

-

Walking to the living room, she saw Rin, Saber and Shiro talk with a man she never met before.

He was about forty years old, dressed like a Catholic priest and his tone reminded her of her father's, always hiding his true intentions.

"Yes, the news talked about disappearance as well." Said Shiro and using remote, he raised the volume of the TV, that usually murmured in the corner, so they could hear it.

"Tonight, about thirty people disappeared in old Fuyuki city. It the biggest case yet. Police thinks that it might be connected with recent gas leaks and is currently searching for them in hospitals.

If you have any information about location of these …"

TV's volume was lowered again and Shiro turned to others.

"So, Kotomine, you think Assassin's Master is behind this? And you want a temporary truce to help us kill him and save the girls?" asked Rin, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes, both as mediator and Master I can't allow such things to happen?" answered Kotomine and rising his hand, he said.

"Lancer, appear!"

To Rin's and Shiro's surprise, a tall short haired man about Rider's age appeared near his Master.

He wore blue leather armour and was armed with a crimson colored spear.

"So, you are his Servant, Lancer. I hope you're mistaken about him." said Saber when she recognized the Servant she had to save Shiro from, as soon as she was summoned. After Lancer used his Noble Phantasm, Gae Bolg, Barbed Striking Death and Saber mostly dodged it, he left the battlefield saying that as much as he wanted to fight to death, his cowardly Master forbid him from doing more then scouting.

-

"So, what's the plan?" asked Rider entering the room.

"Rider?! How are your injuries?" asked Rin, surprised at the Servant's recovery rate.

"I'm fine. So, when we're going to save Sakura? I can still feel the link so I could find her."

"We're waiting for you to wake up, actually. It's only evening, but I doubt we should give Assassin's Master even more time."

-

Is this where your Master is supposed to be?" asked Kotomine when he saw Rider stop before one of the alleys.

"Yeah, she's there somewhere." answered Rider and pointed to a house almost at another end of the street.

Kotomine waved to Lancer and said.

"I think we should scout first. Lancer, go there, we'll watch from here."

Muttering something that was suspiciously similar to coward, Lancer jumped towards the house and walked in.

-

Soon he jumped out and landed on the roof of nearby house in a battle stance and his spear started to smoke.

Before anyone could ask what happened, some kind of shadow creatures burst out of the house and ran towards Lancer in strange half-sliding, half leaping way.

But Servant moved only when a dark cloud, with a barely recognizable human shaped shadow inside, exited the house.

When the cloud shot out several tendrils of darkness towards the Lancer, he jumped high in the air and called out the name of his Noble Phantasm.

"Gae Bolg. Striking Death Flight"

The spear in his hand turned bright yellow, as if it was put into a lit forge. Enveloped in power, it looked more like a thunderbolt then a mortal weapon when Lancer threw it at the cloud's core.

-

The explosion blew away most of the darkness surrounding the shadow inside and Rider gasped in shock, quickly followed by others, when she recognized Sakura's distorted face inside of the cloud.

"Sakura!" she yelled and turned to Rin wanting to ask what happened to the girl. The sorcerer motioned for to be quiet and watch.

"Hey you, wake up and run." yelled Lancer as he made his way towards the group, followed by several monsters.

"Saber, use Invisible Air to hold them off, while we run." said Rin and almost immediately a wall of wind repelled Lancer's pursuers.

"Saber you must run with us! I can't leave you here." yelled Shiro, trying to overcome the winds roar.

"Be careful, those shadows kill with a single touch." said Kotomine and stretched his hands towards one of the dark monstrosities that almost broke through the wind wall.

"Säuberung."

A white glowing sphere formed in front of his palms and shot forward, engulfing its target in a purification spell and hungrily eating away its shadowy flesh.

"I have a better idea." said Rider as she remembered her recent dream about a gift from the God of Sea. A winged steed that aided her in her battles despite its gentle nature.

She crossed her hands in front of her chest and a red spell symbol appeared in front of her. A few seconds later, powerful repeated gusts of wind threw all of the shadow creatures away, signaling the appearance of her favorite friend.

'Pegasus.' she thought as she jumped on its back and felt that it was as smooth as she remembered.

-

"All right. Get on the horse everyone." She yelled from its back as she used her chain to pull Shiro to her.

Masters quickly got on Pegasus and when it was about to take off, Lancer said.

"Go on without me. I'll have to entertain our guest."

Looking back, Rider saw a hunched man in dark cloak, the same one that almost killed her earlier, who walked to them, ignoring the wind.

Deciding that staying any longer would put Shiro in danger, Rider took off with Saber following her as fast as she could.

-

Assassin freed one his hands from under the cloak. That arm was tightly bandaged and surprisingly long with long clawed fingers decorating its palm.

Looking up at Lancer who was busy dodging shadowy creatures and tendrils of darkness that shot out of shadow that surrounded Sakura, he, suddenly thrusting his strange hand forward, said in a voice that reminded of a dry desert wind.

"Zabaniya."

Several flickering strands of light surrounded his palm and pulsing ethereal heart formed in it. Once it was finished, he crushed it.

Above him, Lancer's eyes widened and he clutched his chest before he dropped his weapon and shadows managed to touch him.

-

"Angra Mainyu" whispered Kotomine when he looked back and saw Lancer's body absorb the darkness before it was distorted, like Sakura's body was. But it stayed this way only for a few seconds before it disappeared in a whirlwind of sparks.

"Who? You know something don't you?" asked Rider, grabbing the priest and slightly lifting him up.

"Yes. I'll tell you later." croaked the priest.

"Rider. We'll figure out happened, put him back and let's hurry." said Rin, who was very worried at the ease with which Lancer was defeated.

They flew to the Shiro's house because Kotomine said that his church wasn't the safest place right now and Emiya residence was closer.

-

Once there, Masters surrounded Kotomine while Servants stood at the entrance as guards.

"Who's Angra Mainyu? And what happened there?" asked Rin.

"Persian God of Darkness. A Servant summoned during Third Grail War. It's rumored that he was not a Servant, but an evil spirit that one of mages summoned to bypass the rules of War and forcefully summon Grail for himself, but the mage was killed and that spirit was trapped."

"Trapped where?" asked Rin, thinking over Kotomine's words.

"I don't know. My guess is that Assassin's Master used that girl, Sakura, as a vessel when he freed that spirit from its prison."

"What about Ilya?" asked Shiro, remembering that they didn't saw the girl when they followed Rider and dreading to hear that Ilya was as twisted by that shadow as Sakura was.

Kotomine hesitated for a minute, thinking of what he could say and answered.

"Shadow kills with a touch, but I think that Illyasviel is kept alive by Assassin's Master, because she can be used as a vessel for Grail itself."

"You know, I think I know who would such a thing. Turning Sakura into a monster and killing all those people. Sakura's grandfather was too deaf to hear my warning, so this time I'm going to write it down with his broken bones." said Rider, clenching her fist.

Priest turned to her, narrowing his eyes.

"Indeed. Zōuken Matō is old enough to remember or even participate in the Third War. Then Illyasviel is kept inside of his house."

"What about Sakura?" asked Shiro..

"We must stop her. Even if killing her is the only way." answered Rin.

"Hell no, If that thing was put inside, then maybe there's a way to remove it." stated Rider. "Now let's go already. I want to meet that old man."

-

When they were near Matō's residence, a place where so many cruel things were done to Sakura, they were greeted by several shadow creatures that jumped out of the house entrance.

Kotomine stopped everyone and, pulling out several swords from under his clothes, said in no-refuses voice.

"I'll go inside with Rin, while you distract Shadow. Saving Ilya now is more important than finding him. "

Rin looked at her mentor for several seconds before she said to Saber.

"Saber, if Shiro commands you to protect him, then your Invisible Air should be good enough to stall shadows until we return. Then we'll plan how to deal with Sakura."

When Saber nodded, Tosaka ran after the priest who decided to take another street so he could enter the house from another, safer side.

-

Sakura walked, even glided, outside to meet the trio, most of her body still hidden by shadow but soon stopped, letting her monsters charge forward and attacked with tendrils of darkness that were spawned from her body.

Ranma looked at Sakura and shivered when she saw nothing but twisted bloodlust in the eyes of usually kind and timid girl.

-

"Saber, protect us!" commanded Shiro and one of his command seal lit briefly before disappearing. But it didn't disappear without a trace, Saber's body glowed blue and a wall of wind threw their assailants away, even Sakura's attacks were repelled by it.

Rider carefully watched the surroundings looking for any shadow creatures that managed to overcome or bypass the winds from Saber's sword, and most likely that's why she was able to see a slight distortion in the air behind Saber.

Following her sixth sense that already saved her once, she threw her chain towards Saber and its coil landed right behind the Servant. To Rider's surprise, her weapon was stopped in mid air by something and immediately she tightened her chain around whatever was caught and pulling it back, she smashed it in the wall nearby.

"I'll take care of this sneaky old man." smirked Rider when she saw who was revealed by the impact. " Shiro, you better watch Saber. I doubt she can support this wind wall forever."

After she said that, she threw away all thoughts irrelevant to the upcoming fight and abruptly spun her chain in a tight spiral, deflecting the first salvo of throwing knives.

-

"Let me handle this." said Rin when they finally arrived to the Mato's house from another side and saw that first floor had no windows or doors.

The sorcerer took out several jewels from a pouch she always carried along and muttering a short word, threw them into the wall.

A strong explosion destroyed a part of the wall, scattering debris everywhere, and they quickly walked in.

-

"Rin, we need to find basement. If we meet Zouken, I'll deal with him. Your task is to save Ilya." said Kotomine as he moved the sword from his left hand to right, holding them between his fingers as easily as Rin was holding her gems.

-

For several minutes they walked through the corridors until they arrived to big double doors with inscription covered surface.

Opening them, Rin saw Ilya lying on an altar in the center of the room and no trace of Zouken.  
"Rin, take Ilya. I'll meet you in a previous room."

-

Outside, Saber and Rider still maintained their stalemate with their enemies, but when Saber's wind wall weakened enough for one of Sakura's attacks to pass through, aiming at Saber, and Shiro jumped to shield her, hoping that the same power kept him alive so far would save him this time as well, everything went to hell.

Ranma saw Sakura's attack flying to Shiro and tried to do three things at once: deflect Assassin's dagger that targeted her leg artery, pull Shiro away with her chain and realizing that both would fail, jump away.

All it would take to kill Saber who knocked down by Shiro's body when he struck by Sakura and Rider now was one more blow from their enemies and neither explosion that blew a hole in the wall of Mato's residence, nor Rin and Kotomine that ran through it, nor the purification spell the priest shot at Shadow, would be able to stop it.  
But, surprisingly, it never came. Instead shadow monsters attacked Assassin and in seconds his body melted into nothingness. And Sakura just stood in place with tears in her eyes.

-

Shiro, when he slowly got to his knees after Saber rolled away and stood up, saw the change in the girl's behavior and when he noticed that Saber was preparing for Excalibur, he shouted.  
"Stop! Don't do it!"  
His second command seal flared before disappearing and immediately Saber's sword stopped crackling with energy.

"This is most foolish, Shiro!" said Saber as power of the seal forced her to kneel before her Master.

"No, look. She's not attacking us anymore! She can be saved!" said the boy, trying to get up, but fell back on his knees from an intense lash of pain from the place he was touched by Sakura's darkness.

-

Sakura looked at Shiro and Rider, two people she swore to herself to protect at any cost, but who were badly hurt by her own hands and thoughts started to form in her mind. Thoughts unrelated to killing those before her, unrelated to darkness she felt, or Zouken's will. Thoughts that belonged to Mato Sakura, not to a vessel for Angro Mainyu.

Gathering her will, she crushed remaining familiars, inside of her body that her grandfather used to control her and thought.

'I-I… I will help you, Sempai. I will stop this… I will stop everything.'  
With that, she started to move, she passed Shiro, who was clutching his chest and Saber that didn't move an inch from her position between her and Shiro, passed Rider and Ilya and walked into the house, homing onto Zouken's presence she felt through the link between them.

-

Very soon she came to a wall that looked just like any other part of the house and her shadow monsters charged at the wall, creating a hole with a few mighty impacts.

Inside she saw a small room with its floor and walls covered with arcane symbols. In focus of the three biggest ones sat Zouken and channeled a spell.  
"You made us suffer, grandfather. For that… you will suffer as well! You will die!" Sakura's voice was almost calm at the start, but was filled with bloodthirsty gleefulness when her shadows broke through the barrier that surrounded the mage and started to devour him piece by piece, consuming the magically created familiars that supported his body for more the three hundred years.

-

As Zouken's head, with an expression of unimaginable agony on his face, sank into the shadows summoned by Sakura, the girl's thought changed from using her knowledge in magic to control the shadows inside, to imagining Saber suffering the same fate as Zouken just did,  
'I did it! I solved the problem, Sempai. Now I know I can solve any problem. Saber, Rin or anyone that will stand in the way of our happiness together, they will all die!'

-

Outside, Rin was arguing with Shiro, who was supported by Saber.  
"The only way to stop Shadow is to kill Sakura! You were almost killed already!"  
"Onii-chan…" Kotomine's efforts to heal Ilya proved not to be in vain and the small girl opened her eyes and looked intently at Shiro.  
"Grail is still tainted by Angro Mainyu and if Sakura completes it, then it'll cause a disaster. Like the one that consumed this city ten years ago, but world wide."  
Shiro didn't answer and instead he delved deeper and deeper inside of his mind, trying to find the solution. He swore not break his ideals and fight to save everyone, but if he follow this path any further, he'll have to kill one who is dear to him.

-

"Sempai, I'm free! I can do whatever I want and now nobody will stop me. We will be together, forever! "  
Sakura voice, mixed with laughter as dark the Shadow herself, came from inside of the house and soon, she stepped outside.  
"You don't have to suffer anymore. I'll protect you for eternity!"

"Shiro, allow me to use Excalibur." asked Saber, rising her sword.  
"No, Saber. Not yet." answered Shiro, looking at Rider's Master that slowly approached.  
"Then I'll have to do it.." said Rin and pulled a handful of jewels from her pocket.  
"Kotomine, can you do that white blast again?" asked Rider as she checked her connection to Sakura and shivered when she learned what Sakura felt now.  
Kotomine stretched his hands towards Shadow, before muttering a short incantation.  
"Säuberung."  
"We must run for now, Rin. Your jewels will stun them for a second at best." said the priest when instead of engulfing the target in a cleansing fire, the white sphere only flickered for a moment before it disappeared.

-

"Rin, you said that Angro Mainyu was a Servant?" asked Shiro, who was carried by Saber, when with another jump they came close to Pegasus that carried the rest of Masters and Rider.  
"Yes. Don't tell me you want to make a contract with him, so he would free Sakura and move to you."  
"No. Caster gave a weapon that Archer used to break his contract to you and I…" Shiro couldn't finish because Rider interrupted him.  
"Hell no, you are not going in! I'll go instead."  
"But Rider, I can survive her attack."  
"Let her go, Shiro. She wants to help her Master." said Saber and, mentally, added that even if Rider fails, then so be it.

-

"I'm going with you." said Rin when Pegasus landed on the street and Kotomine and Ilya got down.  
"We'll follow too." said Shiro and looked back at Saber, who only nodded.

Shiro closed his eyes and concentrated on the image of Ruler Breaker, before starting his spell.  
'Trace: on'  
He imagined the dagger appearing in his hand and when he felt its weight in his hand, he turned to purple haired Servant and threw the weapon to her.  
"Rider, here. Stab her with this"

-

Pegasus dove to Sakura and as soon as Rider and Rin jumped down it stopped and wind from his wings scattered Sakura's minions.  
"Rider? Join me Rider!" laughed the girl, strands of darkness shooting from her body and trying to catch the Servant despite the strong wind.  
As Ranma flew by, she threw the dagger at Sakura shoulder and a bright purple flash that tore apart all of the shadows in the street, even those that were produced naturally, accompanied her landing.

-

Before Sakura's body, no longer supported by shadow could fall on the ground, Rider caught her and hugged close.

"I'm so glad you okay."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, big sister." whispered the girl as she embraced the woman that cared for her even after the horrible things she done.

She looked at Shiro, who was supported by Saber while Kotomine healed his wound and pulled herself even closer to Rider. This way, deciding to let go of her dream of living with Shiro was easier. After she hurt him so much, Sakura was willing to step aside for Saber, who always protected the boy with her life.

Rin, who was standing nearby, slowly put away the jewels she couldn't force herself to kill Sakura with and walked to her sister. She embraced the plum haired girl as well and with her serious expression softening, she said.

"Don't worry. It doesn't matter what you've done, you're still my sister."

Ranma stood up, with girl still in her arms, and when Pegasus appeared and landed near them, she hopped on its back and grinned.

"Now let's go home. I'll give you a ride."


	9. Day 8

Day 8

Rider woke up from because somebody restlessly lay on her chest, producing sensations she rather wouldn't think about. Opening her eyes she saw Sakura sleeping on top of her and, judging by her constant moving, she saw a nightmare.

Ranma moved her hand to stroke Sakura's hair, hoping that would calm the girl, but it didn't seem to work. Frowning at what she was about to do, Rider carefully turned around, removing herself from under the other girl and shook Sakura.

"Wake up."

Sakura stopped moving and slowly opened her eyes. Blinking several times to, most likely, push away the remains of her nightmare, she said in slightly trembling voice, faintly smiling.

"I think I saw you past. I didn't know that your life was even harder then mine."

"My past?" Ranma blinked in surprise. "You don't mean Nekoken and stuff?"

"Nekoken? No, I mean how Athena cursed you and your sisters. And what happened after that."

"Oh, that past." answered Ranma, feeling herself slightly uncomfortable. She didn't know what Sakura was talking about, but if she thought that her life was easier... that made Ranma hope that she won't remember those events at all.

-

The door to their room opened, revealing Ilya who asked in a sleepy voice, breaking the awkward silence.

"Will you prepare the breakfast? Onii-chan is still resting and Saber is horrible at cooking."

"Yes, we'll prepare it." answered Sakura and got out of the bed to change in her day clothes, leaving Rider in the bed with a surprised look in her eyes.

"We?"

Sakura finished buttoning her blouse and turning around, she answered with a smile.

"Of course. I always dreamed of doing so many things together with my family."

When Rider sighed and got out of the bed as well, Sakura looked over her Servant's clothing and asked.

"Maybe we should go shopping after the breakfast. Your clothes look very nice on you, but they are the only ones you have."

"No, no, no. I won't wear dresses or any of that girly stuff. I'm happy with what I have." answered Ranma in a slightly panicked and heated voice.

'It's enough that I'm constantly in my girl form and became your big sister. Although, it does feel nice to have you as my sister, Sakura.'

"I won't force you into anything. We'll just look around and maybe you'll like something."

Rider sighed again and nodding, she followed joyous girl to the kitchen.

-

"Good morning, Shiro." Rin's voice welcomed the redheaded boy when he woke up.

"Rin? What are doing here?" asked Shiro when he saw that Rin, most likely, stayed awake for the whole night.

Tosaka waved with a book she was holding and yawning, she said.

"I've been doing research on how you could survive that shadow attack. And even though it took me a whole night of reading and experimenting on you, I think I found an answer."

"Experimenting!?"

"Don't worry it was nothing you couldn't handle." Rin yawned again and suddenly asked.

"Do you know why I wanted to summon Saber? Because as long as King Arthur has his sheath for Excalibur, Avalon, he can't bleed. So I thought that it'll make Saber the strongest Servant."

"How was King Arthur killed then?" asked Shiro, not quite understanding what Rin wanted to say.

"According to legend, the sheath was stolen." answered Rin and smiling mischievously, said.

"And that sheath is exactly what kept you alive throughout the War. Kiritsugu Emiya was Saber's Master in the previous War and putting Avalon in you was probably the only way to save you."

Deciding that if she didn't want to fall asleep in Shiro's room, because her sleepiness increased ten-fold when she finally told the boy about what she found out, Rin stood up and walked to the door, saying.

"You better go to the kitchen if you don't want Sakura to reheat your portion of breakfast again. Oh, and don't worry about the school, Taiga said that she'll take care of it."

-

When Shiro entered the kitchen, he was greeted by a tackle from Ilya.

"Good morning Shiro. Sakura said that she needed to go shopping and asked me to keep the food warm for you."

Shiro carefully put the girl down and said, while he busied himself with breakfast.

"Thank you Ilya. Did Rider go with Sakura?"

Ilya nodded and when the boy sat down and started to eat, she said.

"Now there are only two Servants left. Will you abandon Saber or kill Rider now? I, personally, would've chosen Saber."

Shiro defiantly shook his head.

"No. I'll not hurt either one. You should know that well enough. And don't try to get Saber fight Rider without me knowing."

"You are no fun, onii-chan. What do you think Saber will say when you tell her that, because you can't harm another Servant, she won't get her wish granted by Grail? You'll hurt her either way." said Ilya pouting and sat nearby, watching her brother eat, her crimson eyes seemingly looking at his very soul.

-

"Ahh! Rider lets go there!" said Sakura, tugging her big sister's glove, impatience and happiness mixed in her voice.

"All right, all right. I'm going." answered the older girl and took the bag she put down when they exited previous shop and stopped to look where to go next.

They entered a med-sized clothing store and the smaller girl immediately pulled Rider further inside.

-

"So, is there anything you like here?" asked Sakura when Ranma stopped and thoughtfully looked at simple black silk pants and shirt with a silhouette of a Chinese dragon, slightly brighter then clothes themselves, sewn on them.

"Yeah. These look okay."

"Oh. Try them on. I'll even help you with dressing up."

"No, I think we should just take them. I know that they'll fit." blushed Rider and walked to the counter.

"How about going for an ice-cream now?" asked Ranma, wanting to distract the other girl before Sakura could think about buying her some underwear as well.

-

"You call this training? Saber goes too easy on you! It's a wonder you survived so far, onii-chan." said Ilya as she watched Shiro train with Saber for several minutes and decided to probe the possibility of Shiro breaking his contract with Saber, at least not for long. At first she thought to try and get Saber to fight Rider, but the slim possibility of Sakura going Dark again stopped her.

Shiro disengaged and looking at the blonde girl, who tried to deny Ilya's words but couldn't think of any way, said.

"Actually, it's only because of Saber I'm still alive."

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

"When my father found me, it was already too late to save me, so he put Avalon in my body. And that's why I said that Saber saved my life many times already."

"You are so predictable, Shiro." sighed Ilya, then said, dancing out of the training room, in a cheerful and determined voice that caused Shiro to shiver when he remembered that very voice ordering Berserker to tear them apart as easily as she asked to pass the sauce at breakfast.

"But don't worry, I'll think of a way to end this War."

"I think we should stop this training session, Shiro. I'm unable to concentrate for now." said Saber turning around to hide her blush. She put away her training sword and walked out, leaving Shiro to wonder what happened to her.

-

After several minutes, Shiro shook himself out of his reverie and decided to take a bath to relax after the training.

-

He walked into the bathroom and, unexpectedly, saw Saber who was about to enter the bathtub and quickly turned before he could see more of her body. The girl said stopped and said in almost even voice.

"I know that cleaning yourself is important and I can't disallow you to do it whenever you want, Master. But, may I ask you to wait until I finish?

"Of course." Shiro opened the door to walk out but stopped when he heard Saber quietly say.

"My body is not pleasant to look at? Is it too muscled?"

"No, that's not it at all! You are… Gah!" Not finding the right words in this situation, Shiro dashed out.

-

In the living room, Shiro saw Rin sitting at the table and consuming lots of coffee.

"Rin what happened?"

The girl turned around with a half-empty cup in her hand and said in a sleepy voice.

"Only a few hours of sleep, that's what happened. Kotomine called and asked me, you and Saber to visit him in the evening. He said that he knows how to finish the War without killing either of Servants."

"I hope his way doesn't involve Ilya or other people." said Shiro and went outside.

-

Soon he returned with a flower he nervously held and sat at the table with Rin.

Tosaka looked as if she wanted to ask something, but decided not to when Saber walked in and the boy approached his Servant.

"Yes, Shiro?"

"Saber, would you… go on a date with me?" asked the boy, giving Saber the flower he held.

"Date? What do you mean?" when Shiro didn't answer, she tried to guess.

"Is it some kind of formal meeting?"

Rin paused her coffee consuming and muttering something akin to I can't watch those two anymore explained.

"A date is when a boy asks the girl he likes to walk with him in the city in order to know her better. And a flower is a symbol."

"Shiro." blushed Saber, taking the flower. "I agree."

-

"First I think we should go see a movie." said Shiro while he and Saber were walking through a nearby park.

"A movie?"

"Yes, I think I know what you'll like."

-

"Did you like it?" asked Shiro while they where walking out of the movie theater.

"It was an innovative experience. What supposed to be the next step?"

"Ahh, don't take this so seriously Saber. The purpose of a date is to have fun." answered Shiro.

"I guess now we can go to eat somewhere. It's past afternoon already."

They walked to one of the cafes since, with Rider's help, his finances were too low for a restaurant and he didn't have enough time for any part time jobs either.

"What do you want Saber?" asked Shiro when a waiter gave them menus.

"Anything is fine for me."

"What do you mean, anything is good for you. There must be something you like more then the rest?" asked Shiro,

The girl hesitated for a minute before she answered.

-

"Now where we should go?"

"Let's just walk Shiro. The sundown might be a very nice scene."

-

"Looks like I found you Saber." said a young voice, with enough confidence to seem almost arrogant.

Turning around and entering a defensive stance while summoning her armor and weapon, Saber cursed that she allowed herself to relax enough not to sense a Servant. Finding the source of the voice she saw a young man with short blond hair in everyday clothes and a smirk that she saw only from those who believed themselves very powerful.

"Eight Servants? How is it possible?"

Young man ignored Saber's question and said in a slightly off-hand manner.

"I've come to take you Saber. I like you, King of Knights, and I always take what I like."

"You are welcome to try. But be warned, I'll not spare you." said Saber, trying to figure out why the other Servant didn't summon his armor yet and what class he belonged to.

"So spirited. Try to keep that spirit a little longer or I won't have any use for you." answered the man and suddenly the air behind changed its color and it looked as if gates were opened. Multiple distortions appeared on a surface of the gates as if it was water and somebody threw a lot of pebbles into it from behind. But instead of mere rocks, weapon hilts appeared from within.

"Now I will take you, Saber." And with those words, the weapons sticking out of his Noble Phantasm glowed and flew towards the pair in an unending shower.

-

Fortunately for Saber and her Master, Sakura and her Servant also chose visiting that place as an ending to their day long sister bonding session.

"Wait, I feel two Servants." said Rider, when she suddenly stopped and her combat outfit appeared. "I'll go check and you stay here."

"But Rider, I can fight too."

Rider smiled and answered before jumping away.

"I know. But what kind of a protector would I be if I put you in danger?"

-

A few seconds of flying over the rooftops later, Rider saw her target. Saber and Shiro were bombarded by dozens of swords that flew from a strange wall behind another Servant. Seeing that Saber's defenses soon will be overwhelmed, Rider manifested her weapon and spinning it to create a shield-like wall of chain, dove towards the pair.

As soon as her feet touched the ground and her free hand grabbed Shiro, she leaped away, followed by Saber, feeling that in a few seconds the swords would punch their way through her improvised shield.

-

Landing near Sakura, Rider put Shiro down and asked.

"Who was that guy? I thought there should be only seven Servants?"

"I don't know. I don't remember anyone wielding so many legendary weapons. It might be wise to visit Rin before attacking him." said Saber, looking worriedly in the direction they came from.

-

"How was your date?" asked Rin when both Servants and Masters returned home.

"We were attacked by a Servant we never saw before." answered Shiro producing a surprised look from Rin, which soon turned into a thoughtful one.

"So, that's why Kotomine asked us to visit him. To tell us that there was another Servant we can kill to end this War."

"Kotomine?" asked Shiro.

"Yes, he asked me, you and Saber to visit him in the evening. I guess we better go to him."

Rider looked at them thinking of asking why she and Sakura weren't invited as well, but shrugged it off as some sort of mage-only meeting and went to help Sakura in sorting out the things they bought today.

-

When Rin and others arrived to the church, they were greeted by priest who motioned them to follow him underground.

Soon they entered a dimly lit room and Kotomine stopped and turned around.

"Now I'll tell you why I called you here. "

"To tell us about the eighth Servant?" quickly asked Rin.

Kotomine smiled a wicked smile and answered.

"You are very perceptive, Rin. Archer, come out."

-

Suddenly the young man, Shiro and Saber met earlier, walked into the room. But now he was clad in a golden armor that covered his entire body and looked fit for a Saber class Servant, not for Archer.

"Don't tell me you plan to kill Saber to finish the War!?"

"No, there's no need for that. I don't know why, but Grail is filled and now it only needs a vessel to release the taint within." answered priest and walked out, leaving them alone with Archer.

-

"Now where were we the last time we fought, Saber." said Archer, his Noble Phantasm opening behind him. "Oh, yes. I wanted to take you and I will!"

Saber walked in front of the Masters and stepped in a battle stance, asking.

"Before we fight I want to know you name, since you already know mine."

"Did those ten years dulled your memory? Don't you remember our fight in the ruins?"

Saber slightly paled, prompting Rin to pull out a dagger out of her pocket and start to whisper.

"You're Gilgamesh. King of Heroes."

"Yes, Saber. Now, fall on your knees!'

But before Archer could let loose dozens of weapons from the air behind him, Rin threw her dagger at the ground between them and Gilgamesh and a powerful explosion threw Archer on the ground while Saber deflected the blast wave with her Invisible Air.

"Run!" shouted Tosaka and dashed to the exit, followed by other two. They run out of the church and hurried home, hoping to intercept Kotomine before he could capture Ilya.

-

But when they arrived home, they saw only Sakura and Rider, who just returned as well.

"Where's Ilya?"

Rider scratched her head and answered, slightly confused.

"That priest came here and said that you met that other Servant and really need our help. And he asked to leave Ilya here with him, so we didn't have to bring her along."

Rin facepalmed, and sighing, she explained.

"Kotomine wants to use Ilya as a vessel for Grail, because, for some reason, it's ready to be summoned. And if you don't go and stop him, he will release Angro Mainyu that was captured within Grail."

"You? Tosaka, why don't you come with us?" asked Shiro, worried to hear something like that from Rin?

The sorcerer tiredly smiled and answered.

"I wish I could, but I'm too tired from casting the spell that got us away from Archer. I won't be of any help to you in a fight. Now go to the Ryūdōji Temple, most likely Kotomine will summon the Grail there because in previous War it was summoned there."

"What about Grail itself? Can it grant your wish if it's tainted?" asked Rider, wondering if using Grail to cure her curse was a good idea.

"Grail is tainted by Angro Mainyu trapped inside. Even if it'll grant a wish, it might change it or even release the evil spirit inside. At best it'll destroy most of the city like ten years ago."

'Definitely not a good idea. Oh, well, maybe one of the mages will help me with that.' thought Rider when she imagined a barren wasteland in place of the city. Curiously that image of total destruction triggered a tingling feeling in the back of her head. The feeling that usually appeared when she dreamt of her girl form's past.

"You are sure you want to go Sakura?" asked Rider when the girl said that she'll help Sempai who refused to stay at home while Saber fought.

"Of course. I'll be able to help now." answered the plum haired girl and strands of darkness appeared around her, forming a long dress.

"Don't worry. I control my shadow self now." she said, smiling, when people around her jerked in surprise mixed with some fear.

-

While they leaped to the temple, Ranma gradually remembered how that accursed Athena, jealous of Gorgon sisters beauty that made them famous even among gods, sent some of her followers to steer the feelings people had toward Gorgons from reverence to fear and lust.

Taking another jump, she recalled hordes of their followers trying to enter the temple to either kill or rape them and how she fought back, merely stunning them at first.

She remembered how they decided to take shelter on an island, that was called Shapeless because of the heavy mist that often appeared around it, but their pursuers found them even there and as she fought them again and again, rage and grief rose within her. Soon all who arrived to the island were killed without mercy but it only made the attacks worse.

Finally, she had more than she could stand and facing a small army of men who swore to kill the murdering monster, she took off her blindfold.

Rider gasped in shock as she understood the power her eyes had, when before her mind's eye, all those men turned into rock statues.

'Oh, man. Neko-ken is a walk in the park compared to the life she had.' she thought and felt that someone was tugging her hand.

-

"Rider, wake up already. We are here." said Sakura in impatient voice as she tried to bring her sister out of her thoughts.

"Sorry. So, what's the plan?"

"I believe that Sakura and Shiro should fight Kotomine. Unlike us, they can resist the taint." said Saber, looking at the boy who nodded.

"All right. Take care Saber."

"You too, Shiro."

-

"Saber, I want to ask you to stay the hell away from that Gilgamesh guy, whatever happens." asked Rider when they separated from their Masters upon entering the temple gate and saw King of Heroes standing in the back. When Saber looked at her slightly puzzled, she pointed at her blindfold.

"This thing is always on for a reason, you know."

-

"Saber, I was waiting for you. The time is right, too. Grail is completed and the curse is flowing from the inside." said Gilgamesh when he saw two Servants walking towards him.

"This time you will be mine, Saber and you snake witch will suffer a torture only I can think of."

"Now show how good you can dodge. If you are lucky, they might only pierce you limbs." laughed Gilgamesh as his Noble Phantasm appeared behind him and a sharp bladed rain started to pour.

-

Using the fact that Gilgamesh mainly targeted Saber and using her chain to create a sphere of metal around her, Rider avoided or deflected all of the weapons that flew to her and was about to attack him when she felt something tie itself around her arm and forcefully throw her on the ground. Soon more of chains appeared from the thin air and held her tightly in place.

-

"Pitiful." said Gilgamesh looking at laying Saber and Rider who was immobilized by his Enkidu, Chain of Heaven and uselessly struggled against bonds that even gods couldn't break.

-

"You know what I want Saber? I want to hear your screams as I force you to drink the taint from the grail and bear the same curse that gave me a body, when you splashed me. I want to feel as I crush you below my heel and hear you beg."

"Then… You won't have any objections to undergoing the same fate." said Saber as she slowly stood up and charged at him.

"My, my. How spirited you are, even though you know you can't defeat me." smirked Gilgamesh and pulled a sword out of the air, before engaging Saber.

'Idiot. What am I supposed to do now?' thought Rider as she watched other Servants fight in melee.

-

At the same time, Sakura and Shiro met with Kotomine who stood under the Grail, a Gate to the Root of Universe as it was called by mages who created it. Darkness was slowly pouring out of it, miraculously not affecting Ilya who was crucified before it.

"I see you brought the vessel for Angro Mainyu with you. Do you plan to repeat your father's fate, to live a cursed life?" asked Kotomine, his voice turning into laugh.

"Cursed life? My father died because of…"

"Yes. I was the one who killed him. And now you'll die as well."

Priest took a handful of tainted ichor and threw it at the boy, shouting.

"Now, take all of the evil in the world and disappear!"

But before the glob could land on Shiro, a creature made from shadow intercepted it and they fell to the ground, both dissolving into an unmoving puddle.

"I will protect you Sempai!" shouted Sakura and tendrils of darkness and more monsters shot from the shadows around her body, blocking everything Kotomine attacked them with.

-

With a riposte, carefully planned and executed with a lightning speed, Saber sent Gilgamesh's sword flying but he dodged her next swing and smirked.

"Looks like you need to be harshly educated about difference in our power levels. I'll do it with Ea."

Gilgamesh took a strange looking weapon from the air. It had sword's hilt but the blade was pillar shaped and covered with rune etchings.

He pulled his arm back, looking like a spearman that prepared for a thrust, and three madly spinning blade-like petals of ruby light appeared on the sword's rune covered surface.

"Enuma Elish!" with a forward thrust, a wave of ruby destruction shot towards Saber, whose glowing sword finished its descent as well.

"Excalibur!"

-

Two Noble Phantasms clashed and lit the sky with their titanic struggle, but soon Gilgamesh's The Star of Creation that Splits Apart Heaven and Earth overpowered the Holy Sword and sent Saber into the opposite wall.

"Now do you understand? I always take what I want."

"I will not lose." answered Saber, as she stood up and her sword glowed with power again.

"Your weapon is useless against me. I thought you were already taught that. Well, then I'll not hold back. Die, eyesore!"

-

"Enuma"

"Ex-"

-

'Heh, I got you now' thought Rider and called out the name of her famous Noble Phantasm.

"Cybele!"

Her blindfold disappeared and the power of her Mystic Eyes was let loose on the King of Heroes.

-

"Eli…"

"-calibur!"

Gilgamesh's movements slowed to a crawl and before he could finish his attack, Saber's Noble Phantasm cleaved through him.

-

As his body turned into sparks that were blown away by invisible wind before disappearing, he looked at Saber and said with a smile.

"What a detestable girl you are. Resisted me until the very end. But, that exactly what makes you so desired. We will meet again, Saber."

-

'I need a weapon. A weapon strong enough to defeat him' thought Shiro as he watched the shadows battle with each other before him and remembered Archer's last words.

"Trace: on" Shiro closed his eyes to concentrate and imagined a weapon he knew well, a weapon that almost killed him. A legendary cursed spear, Gae Bolg.

'Just make it. There's no difference between creating Rule Breaker and any other weapon.' thought the boy as the spell formed and a weight of a spear appeared in his hand.

"Sakura, clear the way for me!" yelled Shiro dashing towards Kotomine with a smoking spear in his hand.

"You _will_ die!" yelled Kotomine and the lake of taint, that was behind him, lashed at the boy with multiple strands of cursed essence. But it was too late.

"Gae Bolg!" That shout activated the cursed spear and it altered the nearest future, changing the possibility of impaling Kotomine's heart into a fact from the past and movement required to fulfill that future into a mere formality.

"Projection magic?" croaked Kotomine in surprise and managed to look at the boy, before he fell.

When he disappeared in the lake depths, whatever bonds held Ilya in air before Grail disappeared and the girl fell into Shiro's arms, who traced a blanket to wrap her in.

-

"Hey, we killed the guy. Now what?" asked a cheery and confident voice that could only belong to Rider.

"We must destroy Grail." said Saber and walking to the cursed artifact she said.

"Shiro, you must use your last Command Seal to order me to destroy it. I can't do it otherwise."

'Saber. How I wish that you stayed.'

"Please Shiro. I want to hear it from you."

For several seconds, there was a fierce battle taking place in the boy's heart. A battle that could end in favor of ordering her to destroy Grail and never seeing her again, if it wasn't for a memory from the battle between Archer and Berserker.

"I will trace Excalibur and destroy Grail myself. You don't have to make another sacrifice and leave if you don't want to."

"Shiro? But…"

Saber's question was interrupted when a golden form appeared in Shiro's hands and slowly solidified into Excalibur. But the sword looked unstable, barely visible ripples ran along its length and distorted the image.

"Shiro! Even if you have Avalon inside of your body, the strain might be too big! Stop this recklessness!" shouted Saber, scared that the boy might die right before her eyes.

"Excalibur!" screamed the redheaded boy and threw the sword at Grail. A split second before it made contact with cursed artifact, the Holy Sword lost its shape and exploded with a blinding flash and with such force that the ground below Servants and Masters cracked.

-

When the light subsided, Saber saw that Grail was no more and Shiro lay on the ground, unmoving.

"Shiro! How dared you to risk dying in my hands!?" cried Saber when she cradled the boy and, to her greatest relief, found out that he was only unconscious.

"It's all right Saber. Everything will be fine" said Sakura and hugged the Servant until Saber got her feelings under enough control to leave the wrecked temple and go home with the boy in her hands.


End file.
